The Hero's Journey
by RegalCarnage19
Summary: The path of an adventurer is not an easy one, filled with dangers around every corner, evil plots to uncover, villans to foil, damsels to fight and beasts to save. This is the story of a wandering hero! "Wait a minute... I'm sorry? Could you kindly repeat that last bit again!" (Rated M for language, lemons, and general mayhem)
1. Prelude

**Hello!**

**So clearly this is not an actual chapter but don't despair for there is an actual chapter right after this! I just wanted to take a moment to explain some stuff about this story to set expectations and such so please if you would just bear with me for a moment.**

**So this story is actually a reimagining of my second story "Trials of Paradise" which you don't need to read to understand this story but you can if you'd like. The reason I mention this is because two very important themes from that story carried over here into this one and you'd probably like to know about them ahead of time.**

**For one, a key theme of Trials was that the pairs were NarutoxMonster Girls. This carries over and it is the core reason for things such as the setting and background to this fic so if that is not your cup of tea I totally understand that there are no hard feelings!**

**Two, Trials was a smut/lemon heavy fic and some of that will also carry over here as well. Trials did have a lemon every chapter but this story won't since I will be adding a lot more plot stuff than in my old story. However, there will be a fair amount of lemons and general perversion in this fic so if that is a turn off for you then once again it is understandable and there are no hard feelings about it.**

**With those out of the way here are just some minor things to keep in mind:**

**1\. This is a side story of mine so I can't really say when or how often it will get updated but I do plan to work on it when I can. If I can't for some reason or the fic gets canceled I will make an announcement.**

**2\. The author's notes at the bottom of a chapter tend to be filled with answers to questions from either previous chapters or questions I anticipate receiving so please check there before you ask because I might have answered it! Also if you have a question don't ask it through a guest review because I can't reply to those.**

**They also sometimes contain questions in regards to choices you can help make in regards to where the story goes so check from time to time and see if anything is going on there.**

**3\. Lastly, criticism is fine just keep it respectful, I'm never going to attack someone for a different opinion and I'm open to trying to improve.**

**Anyway, that is it so I hope you all enjoy the fic and I look forward to writing more for you in the future!**


	2. The Raid of Redpoint

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my thoughts and some of my characters of which Naruto is not one.**

**Hello! Welcome to my third story or more accurately a reimagining of my second story as you'd know if you read that little blurb that counts as the first chapter. If you didn't read that please do because it will explain a ton about what this story is and what you can expect from it! Anyway, I don't want to take up too much time with this introduction so I'll talk more at the bottom in ending authors note!**

**I hope you enjoy this story but if you don't that's okay and I thank you for taking the time to read it in the first place, the opportunity still means the world to me!**

**So let's begin!**

* * *

_All things begin with a dream._

_Some dream of peace, they desire a world free of conflict, of struggle or suffering. A world in which all can coexist and find their place without worry of harm or hardship._

_Others dream of wealth, they desire nothing but the pleasures that materials can offer. Safety and security not through ability but rather through affluence, the ability to make the world bend to their will because they can afford its cost._

_Many dream of power, these individuals seek to control but more specifically, they seek the means to overcome any challenge and subvert any rule through sheer force of will. Be it power attained through knowledge, murder, charms, curses, or sweat and blood..._

_Dreams come in many forms and appear in many ways, some vanish upon waking, leaving on vague hints of their presence that are eventually forgotten. Others linger like a poison in the blood gnawing at their hosts from the inside forcing them to act if only to sate such desires._

_Whatever one's dream is, it is meaningless unless a single question is answered truthfully..._

_Will you follow that dream with all your heart? Even if it invites challenge or hardship?_

_Or..._

_Will you allow that dream to die? Burying it under excuse after excuse in the hopes that perhaps that longing will vanish?_

_What choice will you make?..._

...

**"Denied."**

Naruto roared in frustration and slammed his hands upon the worn oak desk. "Why the hell am I being denied this time?!" He ground out through clenched teeth his generally peaceful blue eyes filled with indignation and fury at the obstacle in his way.

Said obstacle was a large burly man sitting casually behind the desk the blond was currently abusing. He was clearly a man getting on in his years with a few streaks of grey mingling in with what was once a full head of jet black hair. Dark brooding black eyes and dressed in a red buttoned-up military uniform, he still made for quite an imposing presence

"Shut up, brat!" He barked back standing to his full height dwarfing the blond complaining before him, not that it mattered since said blond merely glared harder not intimidated in the slightest.

"I'll shut up when you explain why you won't let me start my journey, you old fart!" He shouted more than willing to stand up to his commanding officer.

The older man bit back a less than polite retort and instead pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "We've been over this... until you learn how to show restraint and follow orders I will not sign off on you starting your journey." He declared his voice firm and unwavering in spite of the heated glare being sent his way.

"That's bull!" He argued. "I know how to show restraint and you know I can follow orders just fine, I just refuse to follow stupid orders!"

"It doesn't matter what you think of the orders brat, you know the rules if you want to get signed out." The older man was past raising his voice but his words were no less powerful and unflinching.

Naruto grit his teeth in annoyance, he was well aware of the rules. He'd willingly agreed to follow them when he'd arrived seeking training to fulfill his dream of setting out to become a hero.

The agreement was one made between the town and all willing travelers and residents. Essentially the town would take on the burden of training and equipping any looking to become an adventurer or really just learn to defend themselves but in exchange, they had to work as a guard for the town helping defend and maintain the peace. He'd thought it was a pretty fair deal all things considered.

The problem was in order to be let go and have their debt considered paid they needed to be signed off by the head of the guard who just so happened to double as the town's mayor.

"I've more than fulfilled my end of the bargain so just let me out damn it!" He had waited longer than most but the old captain refused to approve his request and it was getting ridiculous.

"Return to your post Uzumaki, you can return in another two months to seek approval." The Captain finished with a tone of finality signaling the end of their discussion.

He clenched his fist and stormed out of the office closing the door behind him with a slam powerful enough to rattle the whole office to its core.

"What am I going to do with that boy?..." He sighed returning to his paperwork and cursing the seemingly never-ending piles of the stuff

...

"Stupid Captain, stupid rules, stupid town..."

Okay maybe that last bit was just the anger talking, he did actually like the small town that he served if he was being honest. It wasn't anywhere near as grand as some of the major cities that dotted the continent but he appreciated the homey feel it gave off. Plus he liked the name.

The Town of Redpoint, apparently named after a great battle that took place there centuries ago if one believed the legends. He snorted quietly to himself at the thought of this sleepy little place being in any way associated with the words "Great" and "Battle" but the residents took great pride in it so he said nothing.

"Hey, Naruto! Over here!" A voice called out to him distracting him from his thoughts and causing him to halt mid step and turn towards the voice.

He grinned and waved. "Hey, Caroline!" He jogged over quickly though mindful of his armor and did his best to ensure he didn't cause too much of a racket. "How are you? Shouldn't you be running the shop?" He asked wondering why she was out strolling through the streets.

"Even I need a break sometimes." She huffed and tapped on his breastplate with her hand. "Besides how am I gonna find a good man if I'm stuck behind a counter all day." She whined pitifully causing him to roll his eyes at her flair for dramatics.

She would never change, and to think she was only three years older than him at nineteen.

Caroline was a very beautiful woman by all standards possessing long strawberry blond hair that fell just above her back with two curly bangs framing her youthful but slightly mature face. Her eyes were a bright emerald green that always seemed to twinkle with just a hint of mischief when she was feeling playful.

That was not even touching upon what some might say were her more prominent features, she was clearly blessed in the chest department and she was not afraid to flaunt it when she could. often wearing low cut shirts that allowed for a generous amount of cleavage to sit on display. Coupled with her wide hips and shapely behind some might have considered her the complete package at first glance.

The problem wasn't with her looks but rather her personality. She was well known to be extremely greedy and had quite a temper that had scared off more than a few people who tried to court the woman. Which in turn led to her eternal dissatisfaction in regards to her love life, something she took every chance to remind him of.

"I'm sure you'll find someone crazy enough to put up with you someday..." He muttered but flinched when she turned an annoyed gaze his way.

"What was that?" She asked sweetly causing him to sweat and wave his hands frantically in a disarming manner.

"Nothing! I was just saying that with your beauty you'll surely find someone soon!" He sputtered quickly not wishing to face her wrath at the moment.

_She hit hard for a civilian!_

"Aww~ You are so sweet!" She pinched his cheek taking a moment to run her thumbs over the odd whisker marks that decorated them. Apparently, they were birthmarks but she'd never seen anyone with such markings before.

Then again she'd never left town before so who knew what happened beyond their walls.

"So... any luck getting Captain Anders to sign you out?" She asked knowing the blond had been trying for the better part of a year to finally leave and go out and make a name for himself.

At the reminded he clicked his teeth and pretty much confirmed her suspicions.

The blond had been denied once again.

Honestly, the entire town knew that for one reason or another the blond just could not convince the old captain to let him go to the point where some even used it as a joke.

_"You'll get your money when the Mayor lets Naruto free!" _

The blond was more than aware of it and it pissed him off even further which had some concerned the boy was going to lose it one day and trample the town in a blind rage or something. She dismissed those concerns completely, while it was true that her fellow blond could have a nasty temper at times he was also a massive sweetheart at his core and he'd never harm an innocent if he could help it.

"Hey... why not come out to lunch with me my treat?" She offered, wanting to cheer the boy up a little knowing that he would likely spend the rest of the day upset and irritable if left to his own devices.

He blinked at the sudden offer but waved her off. "You don't have to do that." He protested knowing what she was trying to and while he appreciated it he didn't want to burden her with his problems. This was his issue, not hers.

She frowned and grabbed him by the arm. "I know I don't _have_ to but I'm _choosing_ to! Now you are going to be polite and come have lunch with me right now." She demanded, dragging him off in the direction of the closest restaurant she could find. Honestly, he could be way too stubborn for his own good.

"Isn't this a kidnapping..." He deadpanned but offered little resistance to her pulling having gotten used to her dragging him around. She'd been doing that since they were young so there was little point in fighting against it now.

"Of course not!" She dismissed his concerns with a wave of her hand. "This is just one friend helping another." She affirmed nodding her head as though she was imparting great wisdom.

"Or... if it'll make you feel better you can think of it as a date~" She purred. "I won't mind if you do since really who could blame you for wanting to pretend~" She preened sticking her nose in the air haughtily as though he should be honored to even stand in her presence.

"Pass." He said shutting that idea down immediately and causing her to practically trip as the almost immediate response. If not for him holding her arm she would have eaten dirt.

"You should be grateful I'm giving you that opportunity!" She cried.

"Nah I'm good."

"Do you know how many people would kill to be in your position right now?!"

"Who _exactly_? I'd like to meet these people."

"Grrr... I hope you know I hate you."

"Love you too, Caroline~"

* * *

"So he really denied you again?" She frowned as they sat enjoying a quick lunch. "Did he at least give you a good reason?"

He scowled and took a bite of his chicken before responding. "Just the usual stuff like 'need to follow orders' and 'show more restraint' just vague answers." He explained still somewhat heated from their morning dispute but he'd calmed down a bit.

"Naruto..." She paused hesitantly before continuing. "Why don't you just leave? It's not like anyone could really stop you if you wanted to go." She believed that too knowing that of the many adventures that worked as the town's defense the blond was among the strongest if not the unquestioned strongest.

He frowned and nudged her leg under the table with his own. "You know why Caroline." Of course he'd considered just up and leaving the town but there was a cost to that choice. Anyone who'd taken the deal but left before being officially dismissed essentially became an outlaw, they would not be allowed back in and there would be a bounty placed on their head to have them brought back to face "justice".

"I know that!" She scowled and threw one of her fries at him. "But there is nothing here for you and you already know they'd never catch you so why not just take the opportunity?" She knew it wasn't exactly right for her to be pushing him to essentially commit a crime but she also knew that he was unhappy with his position and it wasn't fair.

"You're here aren't you?" He questioned looking at her like she'd lost her mind. "If I left I'd never get to see this town and by extension, you ever again and I don't want to end things like that..." He trailed off not noticing the slight flush that had graced Caroline's cheeks at his truthful admittance that she was a much larger part of the reason he stayed.

In some ways that made her feel better and worse at the same time.

She quickly fought down the red on her cheeks before he could notice and instead tried to think of something to ease his worries... well she had an idea but...

"What... what if I came with you?" She proposed meekly a far cry from her usually boisterous and confident personality.

"Absolutely not." His answer was quick and came without hesitation as though he'd rehearsed the answer in his head a thousand times before. He barely flinched even as she stood up and slammed her hands down upon the table in annoyance.

"What?! Why the hell not?!" Here she was trying to ease his burden and he wouldn't even take a moment to think about it!

"Because it's not fair to you! Your entire life is here Caroline and that's not even getting into how dangerous it would be!" He admonished, he would never put her in danger if he had his way and bringing her out beyond the walls was inviting trouble.

She flinched as he shutdown her proposal with cold harsh truths. He was right her entire life she'd only ever worked in that same store, previously as a simple employee before she'd been gifted the place when the original owner passed away. He was also right in that she wasn't trained, she wasn't defenseless but at the same time, she wasn't going to be keeping up with him at any time soon.

She jumped a bit when he put his arm around her and pulled her into his side, despite being his elder she grimaced at how often he proved capable of outmaneuvering her when he wanted to.

"Thank you for offering though... I appreciate it." He whispered to her as they sat just enjoying each others company.

"I had to try... are you going to be okay?" She asked softly leaning further against her closest friend.

He smirked and she could feel his chest rumbled with restrained laughter even through his armor. "Of course I will be, I'll prove to that old goat that I can handle whatever dumb test he's putting me through!"

She couldn't help but feel revitalized by his infectious positivity and their earlier troubles seemed to wash away. For now, the two would just enjoy life for what it was.

Problems and all.

* * *

_**-Nearly Two Months Later-**_

"This is so damn boring..."

He sighed deeply while he sat at his post in one of the few guard towers the town had set up for defense the towering structure allowing him a greater vantage point of the dense woodlands that surrounded the town. He enjoyed being surrounded by nature most of the time but he was on the night shift this evening and there was an inherent eeriness to the towering treetops that encircled them.

He preferred daylight if he was being perfectly honest.

Taking his mind off the creeping thoughts of what lurked in the dark he instead turned his attention to the thought of his next review, in a week he'd have the chance to once again apply to be dismissed from his post and he'd strived to let nothing get in his way. He'd followed orders to the letter, he'd kept property damage to a minimum, and he'd somehow managed to avoid calling any of his senior's morons for almost two months.

He was doing everything right for once. There was no good reason for Anders to deny him this time, he just had to last one more week without a major incident and he would be golden!

_***BOOOOOOOM!***_

He was thrown from his thoughts as the very earth seemed to tremble beneath him, sending him tumbling to the floor with a shocked yelp while his ears rang at what sounded like the roar of a wild beast.

He groaned and pulled himself to his feet and his hands fastened around the guard rails to keep steady.

"What the hell was going...on..." His eyes widened as the glow of roaring flames lit up the night sky and cast the town in shades of gold and orange. On the other side of town, he could see smoke billowing from what remained of the Eastern Tower and shadowed figures piling in from the woodlands.

_The town was being raided?!_

The sounds of terrified screams and panicked shouting broke him from his stupor and without wasting a single moment he leaped from the tower, his armor-clad form dropping like a stone as he careened towards the ground before he landed with a loud thud, the stone floor beneath him cracking at the impact before he launched himself forward towards the breach.

As he went he did his best to direct citizens to safety as they fled in terror from the flames and invaders. He could see his fellow guards doing the same and he allowed them to handle the influx of bodies as he pushed ahead into the blaze.

Raids were not that unusual for small towns like their own, being smaller than the main cities they made for more inviting targets since they generally didn't have access to the same defensive resources. Redpoint was a bit better given both their military history and current leader so he couldn't even recall a raid attempt that had ever succeeded in breaching the wall before.

_"!"_

Instinctually his body moved on its own throwing him down to the floor like a sack as he just barely avoid having his head taken clean off his shoulders by the wide swing of an axe, the heavy weapon slicing through the air with a deadly woosh as it passed.

He rolled along the ground swiftly drawing his sword as he did so before climbing to his feet and turning to get the first look at what lowlifes dared to attack their home.

A Goblin...

"It would be you little runts." He growled, tightening his grip on his blade as he stared down the pot-bellied gremlin standing before him, its beady red eyes and crazed grin setting him on edge.

Goblins were about as low as any creature could get nearly mindless they only had a mind for two things, pillaging and fighting. They came in various sizes with some being only about knee height to the average man while others grew taller and came in a wide range of sizes.

The one hopping up and down before him was clearly in the latter category being large enough to wield a battle axe with seemingly relative ease.

"You are going to regret this." He promised the horrid creature though he doubted it even understood him to begin with.

"_**Graaahhhh!**_" It roared and charged him bringing its axe up for what looked to be a powerful downward slash, the crude instrument gleaming fiercely in the fires surrounding them.

He dodged to the side and with practiced ease and using his free hand he buried his metal-encased fist right into the goblin's large nose, a sickening crack assuring him that he'd more than likely broken the thing with his attack while it screamed in pain.

"Shut up!" He spun on his heel and with a quick slash of his sword, he relieved the invader of his head, silencing it's screams and sending the portly body to the ground with a dull thud.

However, it's shout had draw attention and he quickly found himself surrounded on all sides by six smaller goblins each wielding some kind of weapon ranging from sharpened sticks to rusted swords and pickaxes. Each one snarled and spit at him as they slowly inched closer looking for an opening.

He merely beckoned them closer and with six high pitched screams, they attacked.

_And they didn't stand a chance._

Ducking under a leaping strike from the first he quickly grabbed it by the throat, his fingers locking painfully around its windpipe depriving it of precious oxygen and causing it to fail wildly in his grip. He then used its body as a shield, allowing a sword thrust from one of its brothers allowing the blade to pierce its green hide in his place, before retaliating and driving his own sword through the offenders head without mercy.

Two down, four to go.

Blocking a sideswipe from one wielding a pickax he kicked it away with a blow to its stomach launching and embedding it mercilessly into the wall of a nearby burning building where it was consumed by the raging fire it's dark green fleshing growing a sickly black as it was cooked alive in the roaring flames. It's screams of pain drowned out in the sea of noise around it.

He then leaped over a spear thrust from behind, his body sailing gracefully overhead before he landed behind his would-be attacker. Before it could react he grabbed it by the head and with a quick twist snapped its neck its tiny form slumping to the ground in a heap, the light leaving its eyes in an instant.

Two more.

The last two approached with caution, seeing their brothers brought low had inspired some inkling of fear within them bringing a smirk to his face and prompting him to go on the offensive for the first time blitzing them with superior speed and skill. They were both cut down like animals neither putting up a worthwhile defensive and without greater numbers to hide their flaws, they fell quickly.

"Worthless." He scoffed but kept moving, leaving their broken bodies behind as he advanced to carry out his duties knowing that if they could break the wall then there would be more to deal with.

...

_He'd been right._

Cutting down yet another member of the invading hoard he couldn't help but frown even as piles of their corpses lay at his feet. He'd managed to take down a good chunk of them and got what few stragglers he'd encountered out safely but it still didn't seem to be enough.

How had a force this large managed to get so close without being spotted? It didn't make any sense...

He didn't have time to think as the sky pulsed with a new wave of light and he watched in muted horror as the main tavern caught fire. The central hub of their town quickly succumbing to the gouts of sprawling flames around it.

_That was also where Caroline liked to hang out after work!_

He barely registered that he'd moved until he'd arrived in front of the slowly collapsing hall around it lay more bodies as the guards did their best to evacuate anyone still inside but clearly it was growing worse with every passing moment.

"Uzumaki where the hell have you been?!" Anders's voice cut through the air like a whip snapping him to attention.

He turned to face the old man now grabbed in his captain's uniform of full plate armor who was looking at him with a mixture of relief, exhaustion, and expectancy.

"I was securing the breach and helping stragglers make their way to safety, Sir!" He knew the blood on his clothing and sword would be more than enough proof of his words.

Anders nodded. "I expected nothing else of you..." He then turned to the still burning hall as more and more of the guards returned with civilians who were covered in soot and ash but were overall okay.

"Let me back in damn it! They're still in there!" A woman shrieked as she was dragged away from the fires, struggling in the grip of a young lad who was doing his best to hold her back.

Anders approached and he was right behind as the captain attempted to calm the wailing woman.

"Miss, who are you talking about? Who's still in there?" He asked taking hold of the woman by her shoulders trying to keep her focus.

"My baby girl!" She screamed still trashing. "My baby girl is still in there! Someone tried to help but we got separated, please you have to go back!"

"Who was helping you?" He interjected stepping up forward worry clear in his eyes even if his voice held firm. "What did they look like?"

"I-I don't know her name but she had blond hair and green eyes!" He felt his heart clench in his chest and his blood pound angrily in his veins as he turned to the nearly collapsed building.

_Caroline_...

"Naruto stand down!" Anders shouted quickly latching onto the blonds wrist as he made his way forward. "If you go in there you won't come out! There is nothing to be done, boy!"

Naruto wasn't having it and he broke his commander's grip. "I refuse to let her and a child burn!" He marched forward heedless of his fellow guards shouts for him to stop and turn back, his face burned from the heat and his eyes watered as smoke clawed at them.

"Naruto I am giving you an _order_! Do not go in there!" Anders screamed his voice hoarse for the night's events as he glared at the blond teens back.

The boy didn't even spare him a parting glance before he leaped into the fire and disappeared.

...

"Caroline!" He shouted treading carefully over burning pieces of furniture and wood. "Caroline where are you?!" He repeated ducking under a broken support beam.

He could barely hear anything over the deafening roar of the inferno he was standing in, every path and direction seemed to be walled off with either fallen debris or scorching flames. His lungs were beginning to ache as he inhaled more smoke and ash and he could feel his body growing wet with sweat as he was practically cooked in his gear.

"Caroline!" He shouted once more praying to the gods that she could hear him.

It felt like hours before suddenly he heard a dull thump above him and he strained his ears are muffled words broke through the charred remains of the ceiling.

"-ruto! We're up here! Please hurry!"

That was all he needed to know!

He raced forward wincing as stray embers burned at his exposed face but he powered through and managed to reach the mostly intact stairwell that led up to the second floor. Pushing fallen rubble and debris out of his way he finally arrived on the second floor and somehow it was even worse than the first.

The floor was almost completely stained a dark charcoal black and most of the walls had been eaten away by the fires that were now left to gnaw hungrily upon what few support structures remained.

It was a wonder the place was still standing.

"Caroline I'm here! Where are you?!" He shouted stepping further into the burning hellscape, the decaying wood below creaking uncertainly underfoot as he took step after step.

"Towards the back and on the right side!"

It didn't take him long to arrive at the only room still mostly intact and even that wasn't say much when compared to the others he'd passed. Blocking the door was a falling wooden strut that he managed to wrench free with a grunt of effort before busting the door down and quickly stepping inside.

There, huddled in the corner sat a little girl with long red hair and bloodshot blue eyes, fat wet tears dripping from her large cheeks as she huddled into Caroline's side who was doing her best to calm the girl down and shield her from the flames.

"Thank god! Naruto please tell me we can make it out of here!" She cried in a mixture of relief and anxiety.

"The stairs are still intact all we need to do is make it bac-"

The building trembled, cutting him off suddenly and rattling them to their core as bits of the ceiling began to cave in around them. His eyes widened as one of the support beams came undone and began to fall.

_It was going to land right on top them!_

He sprung forward without thinking and used himself like a shield and a brace. A scream of pain ripped through him as the burning piece of wood slammed down onto him, pieces of jagged pieces of wood ripping into and through his armor and burning at his neck but he held firm even as his knees buckled slightly under the sudden weight.

"Naruto!" She cried out in panic reaching out towards him with her hand.

"I'm fine." He bit back doing his best to both reassure her, keep the beam from crushing them all and almost certainly bringing the entire second floor from coming down around them as well. "Can you get to the exit?!"

She tried but the flames had spread and the only exit was now blocked leaving them trapped. "We can't!" She answered and in her arms, the little girl she'd done her best to help seemed to break under the pressure her sobs grew louder and setting both of them on edge.

He grit his teeth as he felt the beam beginning to slip and the floor beneath him started to crack and groan under the weight. He racked his brain trying to think of some way to get them out but the moment he moved the beam would fall. If he stayed the floor would give out...

He scanned the room doing his best to tune out the child's cries and Caroline's own sobs before be paused on a nearby charred wall.

"Caroline get close to the outer wall and make sure you are holding her tight!" He ordered his tone leaving no room for questions or discussion and she followed his orders to the letter placing herself by the farthest wall.

"Don't you give out on me now..." He whispered to the floor before he roared and with all of his strength he pushed up sending the beam back into the air for just a few precious seconds while below the floor splintered from the pressure but held just long enough for him to move.

_And so he did._

...

Caroline wasn't sure what it was like to fly.

She didn't really think any human did really, oh sure they understood its principles and what creatures could and couldn't obtain flight but they sensation was not one she imagined they'd ever get to experience.

Falling on the other hand?

That was one she understood rather well. So when she suddenly felt another body tackled hers and the brief sensation of weightlessness settle in her stomach she didn't have any illusions that she was, in fact, falling.

The thing about falling was... it wasn't the fall that she minded so much... but rather what came after.

_***Crunch!***_

Her breath caught in her throat as her insides were flung forward as shockwave rippled through her immediately filling her vision with stars as pain erupted in her back but she managed to hold on refusing to give into blissful unconsciousness.

She blinked the stars away as gravity halted its hand and with a groan, she carefully rolled herself over mindful of the girl in her arms who wiggled and fussed in her grasp but appeared to have suffered much less than she had.

_***GRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAN!***_

She watched with a mixture of disbelief and defiant exhilaration as the tavern collapsed before them no longer able to stand under its own weight the building folded in itself sending a heatwave out in all directions as it gave one last gasp of breath before at last, it fell silent.

"We're okay... we're okay! Naruto, we're oka-" Her excitement like the building behind her, quickly turned to ash in her heart as she looked upon her friend.

"Naruto?!" She cried and scrambled over to his prone form, his armor once polished and stalwart was now charred and warped from the intense heat he'd endured during their rescue. She could see dents and large scrapes on his chest plate and he bled profusely from the corner of his lips while he gazed into the sky with faded dull eyes.

She'd immediate recognized what he'd done, he'd smashed through the wall using his body as a battering ram, dragging them along and then using his own body as a cushion for their fall.

"You idiot!" She screamed even as she cradled his head in her lap, her tears sliding down and wetting his soot-covered face as she sobbed. "Why would you do that?!" She knew the answer but she still didn't want to hear it.

"...Because..." His words were stained as though it took all his strength to even utter a word. "That's what... heroes do... isn't it?" He offered her a wry smile even as his eyelids grew heavy and her face began to blur in fading in and out of focus.

"Stop talking... stop talking before I hit you god damn it..." She threatened but gently ran her fingers through his hair earning a pained laugh from him.

"Yes... mother..." He choked out relaxing under her ministrations allowing himself to take a well-deserved rest in the middle of all the chaos.

She'd normally have given him grief about that but right now she was just glad that he was safe...

She could give him a pass this one time because she owed him that much and so much more.

* * *

"Well, you seem to be mostly healed other than some bruising which will fade with time and some ice I think I can finally let you out of here Naruto." A kind young doctor spoke looking over the blond and testing for any lingering damage before stepping away and shaking the teen's hand.

"Thanks, Doc and sorry for giving you a bigger workload." He apologized to the young man who waved him off with a smile and a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"It's my job Naruto, besides I was more than happy to treat the man who managed to save my niece's life, my family can't thank you enough." He replied helping the blond to his feet and escorting him out of the office. "Though do try not to leap out of any more burning buildings." He joked.

He grinned. "I make no promises!" He fired back before making his way out of the clinic and out into the street happily breathing in the fresh clean air.

Yep, still better than ash and dust.

"They finally let you out." Caroline approached him having stood waiting outside to escort the blond back home one he'd be cleared. "A day longer and I thought you were gonna try and pull a daring escape just to get out of there." She chuckled looking him over and smiling softly seeing that he was pretty much back to his old self.

"hehe..." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly but didn't deny it. "You know me I always have to be moving, spending two weeks in bed really isn't my thing ya know?"

"I know but you need to take care of yourself." She admonished but she knew that was just his nature. It didn't make her any less worried about him but she also acknowledged that it was part of his charm.

"Uzumaki."

The duo paused as a familiar gruff-voiced called out to the whiskered blond, one that caused him to roll his eyes before turning around.

"Good morning Captain Anders, I'm glad you are well." He grinned even if he was not at all happy to see the man given that the last thing he'd done was disobeying a direct order. No doubt he was going to be drilled hard so he'd at least try and mitigate the damage by being polite.

By his side, Caroline was looking at their mayor with a mixture of annoyance and trepidation. She'd been told her friend had ignored orders to save her and she didn't want to see him punished on her behalf.

"Spare me the pleasantries, Uzumaki." He scoffed causing the blond to scowl but he carried on nonetheless. "I am here because of what you did that night." He explained.

"I'm not going to apologize for saving people's lives, Captain." He crossed his arms defiantly. "I'd do it again if I had to so whatever punishment you want to dish out can wait until I've made it back to the barracks."

"That won't be needed Uzumaki because you are no longer under my command." Anders said bluntly, shocking the two who stared at him in disbelief. "I have no need for men who don't obey my orders.

He reached into his coat pocket and handed the blond an envelope who took it with shaky hands already having a vague idea of its contents but tried his best to maintain his composure.

"You are a terrible soldier Uzumaki... but a good person and a fine man." Anders's eyes softened and he placed a heavy hand upon the boy's shoulder in a gesture of approval. "I have no doubt you'll make this town proud." He didn't give the teen time to respond as he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving a stunned crowd behind in his wake.

"Did... did that really just happen?" She asked looking between her friend and the envelope he now held in his hand with shock written all over her face.

"I'm honestly convinced I might have just huffed too much smoke..." He replied just as shell-shocked as she was even as he read over the simple piece of paper with the word "Approved" stamped on in.

He was caught off guard as Caroline suddenly rocketed into his side with a cheer her arms wrapping tightly around his neck in a vice grip. "You did it! You freaking finally did it!" After all this time he had finally proven himself!

He couldn't help but break out into a large grin and hug her back. "About damn time!"

"This calls for a celebration!"

* * *

"You do remember this was supposed to be a celebration for _me_ right." He deadpanned as he carried an utterly out of it Caroline on his back. The pale moonlight and shining lanterns lighting their way as they traveled through the cobblestone streets.

"I knowwww..." She slurred her pale face sporting a healthy blush as she whined into his hair. "But then they brought out the imported wine and what was I supposed to dooooo..."

"I don't know, maybe not drink it all and then stick me with the bill perhaps." He snarked making her pout and pull at his cheeks in retribution.

"Shhh... I said sorry." She remarked slumping against him with her arms dangling uselessly off of his shoulders. "I promise next time I won't get drunk... maybe~" She giggled to herself.

"You always say that." He gently set her down as they arrived in front of her home. It wasn't anything grand but it was nice, more than spacious enough for a single person.

He used the spare key she'd given him and with a bit of work managed to get her inside and into her room where he set her down onto her bed where she immediately snuggled and rolled into her sheets. Honestly, she was more of a child than he was sometimes.

"Naru..." She called out to him prompting him to look down at her, her bright green eyes looking up into his own blue pair.

"Yes?"

"Are... are you excited to leave?" She asked tripping over her words a bit as she traced circles on her bedsheet with the tip of her finger. "I mean you've wanted this for a long time..." She mumbled.

He blinked at the question, was he excited? He supposed he was happy to have taken the first step in his journey but thinking about it part of him wasn't sure that's even what he wanted now...

"I wouldn't say I'm super excited, I do want to go out and see the world and everything it has to offer for sure." He then reached down and rubbed her shoulder causing her to look up at him. "But I'm going to miss this place too I think... especially you, even if you are a handful sometimes." He admitted with a teasing smirk and he swore her drunken flush only seemed to get worse.

"Shush you! I am not!" She slapped his arm repeatedly with a pout and sat up so that she could meet him at eye level. "I'm going to miss you though..." She frowned.

She'd gotten so used to his presence that the idea of him leaving her behind hit her harder than she wanted to admit. In many ways, they'd relied upon one another having gone from childhood friends to young adults. Moreso in her case than his she supposed.

He pulled her into a hug and she was quick to wrap her arms around him as they held one another. "I'm not going to be gone forever ya know... I'll come back from time to time and bring you stories. Maybe I might find some cool stuff for you to sell and make your fortune." He joked trying to cheer her up a bit which seemed to work given her slight laughter.

"Maybe..." She pulled away and looked at him, she seemed to sober up as her eyes wandered over his every detail. His deep blue eyes that always reminded her of the vast oceans she'd seen in storybooks and pictures, and his bright golden hair that she'd always been secretly jealous of. His whiskered cheeks that she found adorable especially in his youth when he'd been more fat than lean muscle as he was now.

_Shit... he'd really grown up..._

"What's wrong?" He asked seeing her space out. "Are you alright?" Maybe she'd had a bit too much to drink.

She laughed, he was always so worried about her... he'd always been like that too checking in during patrols to make sure she was okay, keeping the less than friendly riff-raff away from her when he was around. She used to call him her knight in shining armor when he'd first joined the guard as a joke but in hindsight, she wasn't that far off...

"You should lay back dow-_mmph!_"

He never got to finish his sentence as his words were muffled by her lips pressing suddenly against his own, any coherent thoughts he might have had being violently ripped from his mind as he struggled to process what was happening.

She pulled away with a content smirk upon her face at his stupefied expression.

"W-What was that?!" He stuttered out for once in his life being taken completely off guard, something she found utterly adorable given his usual tough-guy personality.

"That was a thank you... for everything." She smiled before wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her forehead against his own. "And this... this is just because I want to~"

She captured his lips again and she felt him freeze causing her a slight pit to form in her stomach as worry filled her heart, the fear of rejection... that he would push her away and all that they had would disappear in the wake of unrequited feelings...

Then he relaxed and to her joy, she felt him kiss her back his hands coming to rest around her waist as she pushed herself harder against him. She pried his lips with her own and her tongue darted into his mouth where she began to explore every nook and corner. Eventually running into his own tongue which hooked with hers pushing and prodding her back until he'd gained dominance over their oral exchange.

She moaned slightly when they finally separated her blush coming back with a vengeance but she took joy in seeing that her fellow blond wasn't unaffected either sporting his own crimson glow.

For a moment the two merely looked at one another their breaths heavy and a pleasant heat ran through them at the sight of one another.

"Usually it's the guy that supposed to make the first move." He joked still catching his breath making her laugh and push him over sending them tumbling down onto the bed.

"Like I care about that." She trilled still laughing as she rested against his chest. "Besides you've always been as dense as rocks so I had to!" She pouted but there was no real bite to her words.

"I'm not that bad... I think?" He defended weakly but admitted quietly to himself that she was right in that regard. He really had no clue when it came to women.

"Sure you aren't." She snarked straddling his waist as he hair fell down like a curtain hiding their faces from view. "And I'm the next mayor of Redpoint~" She mused making him laugh.

"I don't see why not? You can be the mayor and I'll take that old man's position as Captain, might actually have competent guards in that case." He rebuked.

She shook her head. "Nope, you are going to go become a world-famous hero you can't be stuck here watching this sleepy old town." She dismissed that idea in an instant not even willing to entertain such a notion. Well not him staying but she wouldn't mind being the mayor now that she thought about it...

She'd pencil that idea down for later, just in case.

He frowned. "What about us... you don't just expect me to leave now do you?" He asked slightly hurt that she seemed to think he wouldn't stay.

"I love you, Dummy." She flicked his nose and sat up straight place her hands on his chest and looking him right in the eye. "But this is not the place for you... not right now." She admitted with a tone of resignation and understanding. "You need to go out and see the world like you always wanted to." She affirmed placing her palm against his whiskered cheek and running her finger gently over the markings.

"I can wait for you, ya know~"

"That doesn't seem fair." He protested but she would have none of that and she leaned down and captured his lips yet another fierce kiss shutting him up once again before pulling away and giving him "The Look".

"I decide what's fair for me, not you." She said sternly. "You are going to go out and live your life and I'll be here waiting for you whenever you come back."

"...You know you're a really weird girlfriend right?" He chuckled and rather than taking offense she grinned leaning into his body with a sigh of satisfaction.

"I think that just makes me even better~" She laughed. "But I mean it, go out and have fun... accomplish whatever it is you're looking to find out there. Maybe even get another girlfriend or two~"

He choked on his spit as he looked at her incredulously. "You have got to be joking?"

"Nope." She laughed snuck a hand under his shirt allowing her finger to run over his toned abs and broad chest. "I know you Naru... you're the type of guy to sweep a girl off her feet without even knowing it and sooner or later someone out there is gonna wanna make you hers too." She admitted.

The blond was so dense he didn't even realize the number of admirers he had in the town alone, a number which had practically doubled when word of his actions during the raid has gotten around. There was no doubt in her mind that even more would come so why worry about it?

"Now, before you go getting all gentlemanly on me there are two rules to this." She interrupted him before he could protest such an idea. "_One_, you actually have to like the girl meaning that she makes you happy and vice versa though I'm not really worried about you hurting anyone or selling your body."

"And _two_, she better be willing to share you or I'm gonna have to show her who's number one." She threatened laying out her terms.

"You sound really confident something like this is going to happen." He replied, still slightly reeling from the fact that his new girlfriend had just given him permission to have more girlfriends...

He knew his life wasn't strictly normal but this was weird even for him.

"Oh, I'm almost certain of it." She dismissed his concerns. "I'm not saying you need to get more but don't stop yourself on my account." She smirked.

"I'll... keep that in mind I guess?" He wasn't sure what the appropriate response to this was so he'd just defer to her judgment.

"Good boy... now~" She grabbed his hands and placed them under her shirt, shivering slightly as his rough hands slid over her stomach and sides. "I want to give you one last gift before you leave."

She gave him a naughty smile and leaned up to his ear, her warm breath tickling his lobes and sending pleasurable tingles down his spine.

"Me..."

_**-Lemon Start-**_

This time when she captured his lips he was ready and devoid of his prior shyness he engaged her tongue with his own from the start, the two muscles coiling and shoving one another within the confines of their sealed lips.

Back and forth they took turns invading and defending from one another each doing trying their hardest to dominate the other.

Below, hands wandered greedily over flesh seeking to feel and hold as much as possible of their partners. Caroline's hands danced over firm and toned muscles her fingers moving with featherlike softness up and down his sculpted chest in muted approval.

Meanwhile, his own hands were not idle either continuing up the path she'd started him on he eventually made his way to her bountiful chest, his fingers sinking deep into the dense orbs of flesh even through her bra. He squeezed and pawed at them with an almost unnatural fascination causing her to moan deeply into their heated kiss as shocks of pleasure surged through her as his ministrations.

Finally, the need for air superseded their desire for another and the two broke apart with a soft pop, a thin trail of saliva connecting the two of them.

"This is nice but these clothes are getting in the way~" She purred and sat up once again swiftly working her shirt off ease and leaving her bare in just her plain white bra. She reached around and slowly, almost painfully so, unclasped and began to remove the last article of clothing maintaining her modesty.

He could only watch transfixed as the straps fell away and large perky breasts bounced freely in the wind, stiff pink nipples standing at attention from a mixture of arousal and the cool air running over them.

"Do you like them?~" She grinned but she didn't need a verbal answer to know that he was utterly captivated by the sight, what with his gaze locked firmly to her chest and the tent he was pitching in his shorts pressing firmly against her still covered ass.

He nodded and to her surprise he sat up and took her right nipple into his mouth, his lips latching onto the stiff nub like that of a starving baby sucking, licking, and gnawing gently at the pink rod. She gasped and moaned in delight as he took her other breast in his free hand, rolling the dense tit-flesh in his palm and tweaking her pert nipple between his fingers.

She squealed and panted as she quickly became overwhelmed by the sensations traveling through her and she wrapped her arms around his head, burying his face deeper into her chest as she rocked her hips against his own. Her nethers ached for released and she could feel her panties growing wet from arousal, not at all helped by the sensation of his tented member grinding firmly against her rear.

Before she could reach that edge she quickly pulled away, separating his mouth from her breast with a loud wet pop as she tried to quell the heat burning through her.

"Not... fair..." She panted keeping her hand upon his chest as she struggled to catch her breath. "I want you to feel good too." She proclaimed sliding her way down his body before stopping at his shorts her fingers playing with his belt buckle and zipper.

It didn't take her long to rid him of his pants leaving him in a pair of boxers that were looking pretty tight at the moment.

She gulped slightly before steeling herself and pulling down the garment exposing the pulsing member to the world, and by the world, she meant her nose as the sudden removal sent the hardened organ swinging forward striking her face with a dull thwack.

"Pfft..." She could hear him snicker lightly and she could feel her ears go red as she realized what just happened her face burning in embarrassment.

"Shut the hell up!" She grumbled with a huff before refocusing the task at hand.

Wrapping her hands gently around it she couldn't stop a smug grin worming its way onto her face as he shuddered in her grip, the rod throbbing slightly in her grasp.

Slowly but surely she worked his shaft her tempo increasing and decreasing as she brought him to the edge and back revealing in the power she currently held over the more physically capable blond. She ran her fingers up and down its length caressing it softly in her hands while listening to his breathing grow more and more labored.

_She was getting off on this more than she wanted to admit._

Abruptly she stopped earning a growl from him that made her smirk a bit, now he knew how she felt.

"Don't be like that I just want to make this better for both of us~" She purred and decided to give him a little show.

Standing with her back to him she walked forwards adding a heavy sway to her hips practically feeling his eyes glued to her firm backside. She grinned and grabbed the hem of her pants, slowly rolling them down exposing her now very damp panties and round but toned cheeks that jiggled freely, no longer contained by her tight pants.

She wasn't done though and she swiftly grabbed hold of the now useless underwear and slid it down her legs, fully exposing herself to him.

She spun on her heel and had to hold back a shiver at the look of desire in his eyes as he looked her over from top to bottom. She could make out approval in his gaze and she felt herself growing emboldened by his silent admission of her attractiveness.

She sauntered back over to him and slapped his hands away with a giggle as he reached out to touch her. "Not so fast, I'm in charge right now~" She scolded and pushed him onto his back again leaving him to wonder just what she had planned.

He didn't have to wait long to find out when he suddenly found two his head trapped between two plushy milky thighs, a dripping honeypot hovering above his as she looked down with a playful wink.

"I don't think I have to teach you how this works~" She allowed herself to fall forward stopping just shy of banging her chin against his still engorged member. "Bet I can make you cum first!" She egged knowing that his naturally competitive nature would spur him to put his all into it.

And of course, she was correct.

She practically wailed in pleasure when she felt his tongue dive into her folds, lapping at her still dripping nectar as if possessed. Unconsciously her thighs gripped his head tighter burying him deeper as she spasmed and squirmed from the foreign but not unwelcome intrusion.

_Oh, fuck he was good at this! Why was he good at this?!_

Not wanting to be completely outdone she quickly engulfed her length into her mouth inch after inch of cock meat being crammed down her throat with as much finesse as she could muster and she would have smiled if she could have at the loud groan of pleasure he let out. The sensation of her throat's walls squeezing and milking him for all he's worth proving more than enough make him putty in her hands.

Or in this case her mouth.

Back and forth the two did their best to bring their partners to edge the sounds of slurping and gagging echoing throughout the room as each found themselves growing closer and closer to their inevitable conclusion.

Caroline moaned in satisfaction as she felt his cock expand slightly within the confines of her throat before the sensation of boiling hot ropes of cum painted her mouth white, the raw volume causing her to gag but she remained determined to swallow it all.

That plan went out the window almost immediately when her eyes practically rolled into the back of her head and her toes curled as she unleashed a mighty orgasm of her own. Beneath her Naruto welcomed the torrent of fluid without complaint even as her grip tightened further around his head.

They both panted heavily as their individual sexes twitched and quivered from the explosive releases. Both just taking the time to bathe in the afterglow of such an experience.

"You know I won right..." She panted turning around to lean against his arm.

"I'm pretty sure I won actually..." He panted back running his hand through her hair with a grin.

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh really? Then how about we go again~" She bit him playfully and once more straddled his waist only this time she began to grind their bare and still very sensitive sexes togeather.

"If you think you can handle it." He grinned doing his best to hold back at the sensation of his slick womanhood rubbing unashamedly against him.

"Loser has to do whatever the winner says, agreed?" She challenged.

Never one to back down his answer was almost immediate. "Agreed."

She raised her hips and lined their sexes up, the tip of his cock pressing against her folds before with a sharp breath she threw herself down. Cramming his entire length into every nook and cranny of her hungry twat.

"Oh _fuck_!" She screamed, she'd broken her hymen years ago when she'd decided to pick up some self-defense moves so she didn't feel any real pain at the intrusion.

It was the sudden filling that practically had her creaming herself right then and there.

But she wasn't going to stop and with a moment to adjust she quickly began bouncing on his lap, her large ass slapping against his thighs as he entered and exited her slick cunt.

He grit his teeth and grabbed a hold of her arms allowing her to lean back and bounce harder. It also had the unintended side effect of angling his cock slightly causing it to scrape against her walls with every move sending new waves of pleasure crashing through her.

"Oh god damn it!" She moaned her legs going weak as her pelvis slammed repeatedly into his own. "Harder! Fuck me harder!" She wailed as her breasts bounced wildly with every rise and fall, nearly smacking her in the face not that she cared about that at the moment.

She yelped when he pushed her over, her back hitting the sheets with a dull thud but before she could voice her confusion she was left breathless as he began to hammer even deeper into her. His cockhead literally battering the entrance to her womb as he pistoned in and out of her soaked cunny.

He growled as he felt her walls squeezed and dragged at his member begging him to bury his meat inside and never leave but he paid that no mind too lost in his own pleasure to do anything then do his best to reshape her insides to fit him and only him.

"Fuck you win! You win!" She could feel her own cream sloshing around inside of her cunt as he continued to beat her pussy into submission. "Just don't stop fucking me!" She cried wrapping her legs around his waist to keep him as deep inside her as possible.

He had no intention of stopping to begin with and upped this pace, the bed creaked loudly under the ferocity of his thrusts but going unheeded by the rutting couple who only had eyes for one another at the moment.

He groaned as he felt the familiar sensation of his balls churning reminding him that was still buried to the hilt inside of her.

"Hey... I'm gonna..." He warned but she silenced him with a sultry look made all the naughtier in her disheveled state.

"Inside... if you pull out... we're going again." She threatened half tempting him to pull out but her grip on his waist held him firm and seconds later with a loud bellow he unleashed a new torrent of cum directly into her waiting snatch.

She swore her insides were melting as he filled her to the brim with thick seed, so much so that is dribbled out of her like a leaky faucet coating her inner thighs and ass in the viscous liquid.

Her only thought was that she should have made him hers earlier...

_**-Lemon End-**_

The two collapsed next to one another completely spent but no less content as they laid together too tired to care about the mess they'd made.

"I'm having second thoughts about letting you go now." She laughed even though her exhaustion. "I'm not sure I want to give that up."

"I can still stay ya know?" He grinned, enjoying the feeling of her bare skin against his own. "I don't mind." He offered but she shook her head.

"No... this is something you need to do." She wouldn't keep him here, not until he was satisfied with his life first. "But you better come back from time to time and give me a good loving." She smirked leaning over to nibble as his neck.

"I promise." He laughed pulling her close to him.

"And you have to show me any tricks you pick up from new girls."

He rolled his eyes. "_If _that happens, and that's a big _if_!... then I will."

"Good."

...

"Wanna go again?"

...

"Sure why not?

"Hehe, this time I'm gonna win!"

"Not gonna happen!"

The two made the best of their limited time as faint squeals and moans could be heard echoing from the household throughout the night.

* * *

**AN. Chapter Complete!**

**Quite a long first chapter though excluding my first story all my first chapters tend to be rather long, later chapters will likely be a fair bit shorter around 7K words or so. For context, this was about 11K words haha.**

**So I like to talk about why I make certain decisions and try to preemptively answer questions people might have about the chapter and the story as a whole in my little author's notes and the same will apply here. I mentioned it before but I do ask that you check the bottom note if you have a question because I might answer it below. If I don't feel free to leave it a review/PM and I will try and answer it if I can!**

**So starting off let's address some things that might be on your mind with this story!**

**1\. Where does this story take place in? It feels kinda familiar but I can't really place it?:**

**Good hypothetical question! This story takes place in a world of my own making, not any pre-established world (or at least it wasn't based off one I was aware of). It probably feels somewhat familiar because it's sort of a generic-fantasy world setting that fits concepts that I want to explore as well as giving me the freedom to bend rules that I would otherwise have to follow if I set in a particular place from a show or book.**

**2\. Naruto's past not explained?**

**I plan to have Naruto's history touched on through story events and flashbacks as he travels. So while I understand throwing people in the deep end might confuse people I don't think a story has to tip its hand right at the start, you will learn more as we go so please have no worries about that.**

**3\. Naruto's power level and does he have access to chakra?**

**Naruto will not be a pushover by any means, I don't think I'm going to make him over the top powerful (at least not early on) but he will certainly be skilled as he's already demonstrated. He will not be using chakra in this story since it doesn't exist in this world, magic will exist in place of it but wheater or not he will use it and what kind is still being decided. For now, he will rely on his combat ability, his high physical strength, and weaponry to handle himself. You might have also noticed he's a bit brutal in combat and that was intentional.**

**4\. Who is Caroline? And if this was supposed to be about monster girls why is the first female love interest human?**

**Caroline is an OC. As I mentioned this is a reimaging of an older story and one that is set in its own world and naturally will be filled with its own characters so there will be many OC's. I myself am not generally a fan of stories that include a ton of OC characters but I think it fits and is better overall than just taking random characters from other shows and putting them in for the sake of familiarity. I don't do SI characters so no worries about suddenly meeting a new guy who is on the same level as Naruto himself but given the nature of the story you can understand why this is an OC heavy story.**

**In regards to Caroline herself she is naturally the first of many girls he'll meet and make connections with but she works as a good starting/anchor point. I started with a human because I didn't want to dive into the deep end and through something like "Eldrich abomination maid" in from the beginning. The other girls will come and we'll see the first in the next chapter most likely.**

**5\. Will other Naruto characters or characters from others shows/animes/etc appear in here?**

**Other Naruto characters will NOT be in this story. I already have a Naruto fic that I am working on and this is a project for me to get away from that and just have fun. If you were hoping for that than I am sorry but it's not going to happen.**

**Will other characters show up though? I'll give it a solid maybe, I've already listed this story as more of a crossover than a pure Naruto story (because let's be real here Naruto so far is the only thing connecting it to his anime). So if I think a character from another show will fit well and I think I could do a good job writing them in I wouldn't be opposed to adding characters from other shows into the mix.**

**6\. How often will there be lemons in this story?:**

**I mentioned this before but if you forgot or missed it then I will say it again. Unlike Trials of Paradise that did contain a lemon every chapter this story likely won't do that. While there will still be plenty because it fits with what I wanted when I set out to remake Trials, I am also not going to try and force one into every chapter so expect them to pop up but not as regularly as before. This first chapter has one but I doubt the second chapter will.**

**There could be limes though, who knows!**

**Anyway, I don't want this note to go on for too much longer so I'll leave it here! If you have other questions then feel free to write them in your review or PM them to me! (please be polite though) **

**Thank you for giving this story a shot!**


	3. An Archer's Burden

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my ideas and characters, everything else belongs to their original creators!**

**Hello! Welcome back to the second chapter of "The Hero's Journey", I'm happy that the story seems to have been received positively and I can't thank you enough for giving it a chance. In hindsight imo, this Fic has a lot going against it since it doesn't have an established plotline, it contains mostly OC's, its listed as a general x-over so no goodwill borrowed from any main series, etc. That's not to say I don't think it can't be a good story I just imagine its probably a tough sell to the general reader but what do I know lol.**

**Because of those things it really has been really nice to see people enjoying the first chapter and the premise so far. I hope that continues going forward and that this story goes on for even have as many chapters as my other one. Anyway, I will stop talking now and let you all enjoy the second chapter!**

* * *

"So, I guess this is it." Caroline sighed looking past him and into the horizon as they stood somewhat morosely by the North Gate of Redpoint. Beyond them, a worn dirt road extended off into the distance marking the path to the next town over and the blond adventure's new destination. "You're really leaving…"

Naruto gave her a gentle smile and pulled her into a tight hug, her face coming to rest softly against his chest where she breathed in his scent to remember him by. "This isn't goodbye you know... think of it as an I'll see you later!" He would always come back to her that much they both knew but it didn't make leaving any less painful.

"It sure feels like a goodbye..." She sighed but pulled back and gave him a beautiful smile, one that he would always remember when he thought of her. "But I trust you, so you better make sure you return in one piece... and bring me lots of stuff to sell!" She ordered earning a mock salute from him causing her to giggle slightly.

He leaned down and brought her into a gentle parting kiss one that she practically melted into as she savored the last bit of intimacy she'd have with him for who knows how long. He'd pushed back his travel date one day to spend a brief bit of time with her. She'd outwardly protested that at the start but was secretly thankful to spend the extra time with him..

_Gods she was going to miss him..._

Reluctantly pulling away from one another they each let out a breath of contentment and just enjoyed each other's presence for a few moments longer. Who knew that leaving would have been so difficult?

"You better get going, it's at least a full two days walk from here to the next town and I'm sure you want to get there as fast as you can." She noted idly running her fingers over the palm of his hands.

He nodded and they embraced one last time before she sent him on his wave giving him a playful shove even as tears welled up in the corner of her eyes. She refused to let them fall knowing that if she did he'd never leave so she held strong and smiled for him like she knew he would for her.

She watched him disappear into the dense woodlands that surrounded their home with a pang of regret in her heart, one that she quickly squashed down... they would meet again. She gave a soft smile before finally turning and making her way home, she had a store to run and right now she could use the distraction.

He would be fine, he'd get into trouble for sure but he'd made her a promise and so she knew in her heart that no matter what he'd overcome it.

...

Naruto hummed quietly to himself as he followed along the dirt path that marked the trail leading to the next town over, a little place called "Bleakcrest". He'd only been there once on a delivery job so he hadn't had a lot of time to explore the town but he seemed to recall it was nice enough despite its name. Certainly, a decent enough place to start exploring if nothing else and he was already a few miles out now so he was making good time.

He was still kind of reeling from the fact that he was free to go wherever he wished. The world was so big and he could only travel so far but he didn't really feel overwhelmed by the prospect, rather he was excited to see what challenges would come his way.

"Hehe, I hope this isn't too easy." He grinned and picked up the pace, having lost his old metal armor during the fire he'd gone and had it replaced with lighter leather gear. He figured traveling in such heavy armor would get tiring after a while, plus maintaining it would be a bigger pain without the right equipment.

The only things he'd kept was his trust blade which hung by hip ready to be drawn at a moments notice and his old rucksack which contained his supplies which was slung over his shoulder.

He was putting his hopes in there being a few jobs he could tackle for the locals and get his name out there. He was already well known in Redpoint since he was often tasked with clearing out the larger dens of bandits and goblins when they cropped up which were the only times he got to cut loose.

Not that they'd ever stood a chance against him but an easy fight was better than nothing at all.

_"!"_

He stopped suddenly, his hand falling reflexively upon his sword hilt while the hairs on his neck stood on end. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the surrounding treelines, he felt like he was being watched...

_***Fwump! Fwump!***_

He was forced to duck when two arrows flew through the dense canopy above him, their steel tips just barely missing his head and instead piercing the ground behind him. It was only his reflexes honed from years of training that had allowed him to make it away unscathed. Drawing his blade he doubled his efforts to locate his would-be attacker mindful to keep on his guard knowing he was at a disadvantage with his shorter range.

If he could find whoever was shooting at him than just maybe he could close the gap and disarm them, assuming they weren't skilled at close quarter combat as well as archery.

_***Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!***_

Three more arrows rained down upon him with deadly accuracy, two of which he managed to bat away with his blade but the third managed to clip his shoulder sending him stumbling back. Thankfully his armor took most of the blow but the impact alone was enough to displace him slightly, and he couldn't help but curse at his open position.

Centering himself quickly, he relaxed allowing his muscles to slack and his mind to clear and with a sigh…. he waited. No one was _completely _silent, he just needed to keep his ears open.

...

From the safety of the trees, a pair of narrowed green eyes took aim once more, their sights set firmly on the blond below who'd seemed resigned to his fate as his shoulders dropped and his defensive posture fell.

All advantages should be pressed and an open shot was not an opportunity to be ignored.

Nocking another arrow with practiced ease it took mere seconds before a sharp whistle split the air as steel careened towards him at blistering speeds.

_***Fwip!***_

Green eyes widened in shock as he shifted at the last second, the wooden instrument of death shooting past him harmlessly in the nearby shrubbery.

_How had he dodged?! He'd left himself open!_

They wouldn't have much time to think much on this question, however, because the blond suddenly blurred into motion kicking up a cloud of dust and dirt as he leaped high into the air with sword drawn. They cursed quietly and leaped down from their perch just in time to avoid being cut down as the branch they'd previously occupied was sliced to pieces just seconds later.

Forced to the ground he could finally get a good look of this mystery archer out for his head.

His assailant was definitely female and a rather beautiful one at that if he was honest with her soft but elegant facial features and delicate curves. She was a bit petit, possessing a lithe but well toned body indicating she was clearly someone that pushed herself physically and that was further supported by the large ornate wooden bow she held tightly in her fist.

She didn't seem to wear any traditional armor but instead seemed to have fashioned a light cuirass from leaves and bits of wood that offered her both a measure of protection as well as camouflage. She had an imitation of a skirt made from some kind of leather decorated with leaves, around her legs and arms were bracers and guards similarly fashioned from tree wood and she wore nothing in regards to footwear. However, there were some particularly stand out features that caught his attention.

Snow white hair descended from atop her head down to her neck, cut just short enough to avoid falling into her line of sight will still keeping a fair bit of length just past her neck. Glaring at him with a rather concerning level of disgust within them was a pair of rich, forest green eyes that would have been breathtaking if they weren't currently trying to burn a hole in his skull.

Her most unique trait, however, was the long and pointed pair of ears she sported jutting out from the sides of her head. Far too large to belong to any human, they were a definite indicator that, while she may look similar to a normal person she definitely was something a bit more.

"A Wood Elf..." He muttered taking her in.

He'd never seen one before… As a collective, they were well known for their general distaste of humans which pushed them to live mostly in secret only dealing with them when absolutely necessary. There were, of course, exceptions to that rule with some wood elves having been known to venture into and reside within a few of the major cities and likely some of the smaller towns as well.

But to think he'd see one all the way out here... how long had they stayed hidden? Were there more of them out in the forests nearby?

He pushed down his excitement and grew serious once more. Regardless of his fascination, she'd still tried to kill him and he needed to know why.

"So, would you like to explain why you are trying to murder me?" He asked keeping a firm eye on her bow to make sure she wouldn't pull any funny tricks on him. He wasn't sure he'd be able to dodge in time at this range.

She said nothing more than content to just bear her teeth and glare at him causing him to sigh, why could he never deal with easy people. Anders, his seniors, Caroline... well she got a pass given the circumstances but still!

"Look, I don't know what I did to piss you off but I don't think it is worth killing me over." He lowered his sword slightly to show he was more than willing to just walk away from this. "Whatever it is I'm sure we can talk it out." He offered.

This time she did answer but her words were less than pleasant.

"I have nothing to discuss with something as _vile _as you." Great, she didn't even have the courtesy to address him as a person. "You think words are enough to absolve you of your crimes?!" She practically spat at him as she spoke and he had to reign himself in from running over and decking her in the face out of principle.

Heroes did not go around punching women... unless they were evil but unfortunately being rude didn't really count as being evil.

"What crimes exactly?" He'd literally only been this far out a few times in his life and he'd always been on his best behavior. Generally speaking anyway.

"Don't pretend you don't know!" She snapped refusing to give him a clear answer. "Regardless of if you want to admit it or not, it changes nothing! I will have your head in return for what your people have done." She promised acid dripping from her words.

His people? What exactly did she mean by that?

"Are you talking about the people of Redpoint? Or just human's in general?" He inquired more concerned with discovering just why she'd sworn some kind of blood oath against him.

"Your settlement or your people it doesn't matter, they're both the same in the end." She scoffed. "Both are guilty and both will be punished.

He stepped forward with a heavy frown upon his face. "I don't know what your problem is but I won't allow you to hurt innocents because of some misplaced anger." Redpoint was still his home and he'd be damned if he'd let some overzealous elf lady with a grudge would bring them harm.

"Misplaced anger?..." She repeated his words like he'd forced her to swallow something foul. "How dare you... how dare you act like I'm the one who has done _you_ wrong!" She practically radiated anger as she drew her bow and aimed it squarely at him.

"Pray the gods take pity on you because I shall not!" She roared and without allowing him to retort she fired aiming directly for his heart.

He narrowed his eyes and with some quick maneuvering managed to use his sword to block the arrow from burying itself in his chest and instead sent it bouncing off somewhere to the side. He then made smart use of the gaps in between her fire to begin closing the distance, moving erratically to lower her chances of landing a shot.

_***Fwip!***_

He hissed as another arrow sailed by, thankfully not hitting him straight on but the sharp tip had grazed him during its flight and he could already feel warm blood starting to trickle out from the cut. He supposed to rumors of Wood Elves being extremely talented archers had a bit more truth to them than he'd initially believed.

Pushing past the pain he managed to close the distance and brought his sword down upon her in a heavy slash fully expecting her to back off but to his surprise she didn't. Instead, she used her bow like a makeshift melee weapon deflecting his attacking and lashing out with her own.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to guard in time he angled the toughest parts of his armor to take the hit head-on, grunting harshly as her bow smashed into his arm and chest, rattling him for sure but nowhere near enough to put him down.

He slammed his knee into her stomach in return, her light cuirass doing very little to mitigate his raw strength causing her to double over, her eyes squeezed shut in a mixture of shock and pain as the air was forced from her lungs.

Pressing his offensive he quickly stabbed his sword into the ground and then pried her bow from her hands hurling it into the brush before she could regain her bearings. She hissed as the loss of her weapon and swiftly resorted to less than honorable means of attack.

Scooping up a handful of dirt she threw the muck into his eyes, blinding him and forcing him to retreat slightly before pain erupted in his jaw. He could feel her knuckles digging into his skin before he was sent reeling when another blow smashed into his nose.

Bracing himself he readied his body for the next hit and sure enough, he felt what he assumed was a foot or a leg slamming into his side making him gasp but he held firm. Reacting quickly his hands shot out and grabbed the offending appendage yanking her towards him and throwing off her balance.

She yelped as she was unceremoniously introduced to the hard earth below and she wailed in pain when a hard fist buried itself deep into her stomach, the damage from the earlier amplifying the damage of the second hit. She forced back tears and tried her best to scramble to her feet but his grip was too strong and he quickly managed to pin her even while blinded.

"Get off of me!" She screamed kicking her legs and lashing out with her first trying to do whatever she could to escape but he refused to budge.

"Not until you tell me what the hell it is that you think I've done!" He screamed right back having finally regained his sight and pinning her flailing arms down leaving them glaring at one another both looking worse for wear.

"Do you truly not know?!" She growled too exhausted to fight any longer but rage still burned in her heart.

"I don't! So please for the love of the gods just tell me!" He felt like he was going to pop a blood vessel if she kept being cryptic with him. Why was it so hard to just say why you were mad?!

She frowned and searched his eyes for any hint of deceit or trickery but found none, only a desire for understanding and annoyance...

She relented slightly in her struggle her anger taking a backseat for the moment. "I see..." She sighed and weighed her options, they were at an impasse.

"My village was attacked two days ago." She informed him, quietly taking note of attentiveness as she began explaining her story. "We are... we _were _a small community that kept to ourselves, content with living off the lands and under our own rule." She frowned as less than pleasant memories flashed through her mind but she continued on

"Then, only mere hours after the sun had set our village was attacked by a group of _humans_!" She snarled again. "They came from the woods in droves torching everything they came across. We'd done nothing to them but they attacked us with such hate and such cruelty you'd think we were their sworn enemies!"

She clicked her teeth and bit back her desire to insult him once more in favor of finishing her tale. "After they'd seemed appeased with destroying our homes they rounded everyone that was left up and hauled them off into cages to be taken away."

"How did you escape then?" He asked, now feeling a pang of sympathy for the clearly hurt woman beneath him. He still wasn't okay with her trying to kill him but he understood now why she'd lashed out even if he didn't agree with her methods.

"I was never captured..." She said the words almost as though she regretted them. "I had been knocked unconscious trying to help those that I could escape and my body was buried in some of the rubble. I awoke shortly after... just in time to see my people being carted off like animals! And I could do nothing to stop it..." She slumped in his grip finally allowing the mental and physical exhaustion to catch up with her leaving her drained.

He let her go and sat beside her silently going over her story in his mind. First Redpoint had been attacked and now he was discovering that another settlement had suffered the same fate within a relatively short time frame. Granted the attackers were different but it was still enough to set him one edge, he hopped these were just an unfortunate coincidence.

"Do you know where they are now?" He asked.

She glanced at him from the corner of her as if debating on telling him anything but eventually she decided to relent. "I was able to track them back to their main camp, a fortified encampment a few miles East of here. Whoever they are they weren't just passers-by that place was built to last and from the looks of it they have been there for quite a while."

"How many men did you spot?"

She looked up at him with confusion. "Why do you want to know? More so why do you even care?" What was the point in asking her all these questions if it wasn't even his business to begin with?

He turned to her with a determined glint in his eye and placed a hand on his sword. "Because I'm not just going to sit here and let anyone suffer if I can help it." Raiders would always be raiders and that was bad enough but slavers he wouldn't stand for. No one had the right to deny another person's existence on such a level.

She scoffed. "Spare me the false pity. Your words mean less than nothing." She'd just tried to take his head and now he expected her to believe he was going to try and liberate her people? She was many things but she'd never been a fool.

"I don't care if you believe me or not but I am a man of my word." He spoke pushing himself working the kinks out of his arms and legs. "If you don't want my help that's on you but you can't stop me from trying." He shrugged. She'd already told him what direction to go so he could set out on his own but if she hadn't assaulted it herself he could only assume it wouldn't be a cakewalk to liberate the captive elves.

"You'd risk your life for a group of strangers? Ones that when freed will likely try and kill you in return?" She held no illusions that some among her group would likely now harbored the same resentment she did for his kind. They'd never been huge fans before and this certainly wouldn't help.

He offered her a cheeky grin and crossed his arms defiantly. "It wouldn't be the first time and it probably won't be the last." He admitted shamelessly. "But what's the alternative? I let innocent people be hurt because I was afraid to act?" He shook his head. "That's not an outcome that I'm willing to entertain."

She was silent for a long while as she tried to weigh his words against the picture she'd painted in her mind. She didn't trust humans at all... but he seemed honest enough. Foolish most definitely but still honest.

"I can not say for certain but during my last visit I was able to count at least fifteen individuals that weren't heavily wounded." She informed. "It would not surprise me however if there were some I missed given that it was deep into the night when I last scouted the camp last night. They may also have received reenforcements in my absence."

"You keep tabs on the place?" He asked.

"I need to be sure they are not harming my people. If they were than regardless of the odds I would lay down my life on the spot to save them!" She was serious, other than being locked away her people didn't appear to have been hurt which was all that had kept her from lodging as many arrows as she could into the captors despite being horribly outnumbered.

"Respectable." He nodded then turned East in the direction of the camp. "I take it this means you accept my help then?"

She grimaced but nodded reluctantly. "Saving them comes before my own grievances. If you truly are willing to assist than I shall make use of you." She said being clear that she was only entertaining this because she was out of options.

"Fair enough, so tell me more about this camp." He reached down and held out his hand with a grin. "After all we're going to need a plan to take it down after all."

She looked between him and the outstretched palm before finally taking it in her own, sealing the deal. "Here is what you need to know..."

_Those bandits wouldn't know what hit them._

* * *

_**-Nightfall-**_

"Well, you weren't kidding when you said this place was well fortified." He frowned peeking out from the treetops to get a better look at the place. "Just far enough away to unnoticed but close enough to the two main towns to resupply fairly quickly if need be."

The camp was rather large though the actual layout of the place was pretty simple. Erected around its exterior was a large wall made out of wood, likely cut from the surrounding area given the inconsistency of the cuts leaving some parts of the wall more open than others. He could see makeshift boardwalks that led to small guard posts on both sides of the camp. Out in front, two guards stood watch over what looked like the main entrance both clearly armed and ready for any trouble.

Inside he could clearly see a few pockets of bandits talking amongst themselves or sleeping littered throughout the camp. In the center, he spotted three large cages packed practically filled to the brim with captive Elves who were also being guarded. Next to the cages was a large tent which he presumed belonged to the leader of this group.

He could see why his new partner hadn't tried a liberation attempt yet. On her own she'd probably be slaughtered without the element of surprise and without the tree line for cover she was limited in her approach.

"If you are done admiring their work can we get to work on freeing my people now." She hissed her blood was boiling just being here.

"Just making an observation." He held his hands up in surrender. "But it is a good thing for us that the guard posts are exactly the same as you said. The western wall seems to be a bit weaker than the eastern one but we only have one chance at doing this quietly." He warned.

She scoffed. "You are a capable warrior so I'm sure you'll be fine." She rolled her eyes but nodded. "Should things go poorly I will do my best to assist you where I can."

"Good enough for me." He grinned then with a grunt he leaped down to the ground and quietly began making his way to the western side of the wall. Above him, he could hear his "Guardian Angel" moving through from branch to branch along with him.

He'd tried to get her name but she wasn't particularly in a sharing mood so for now, he just stuck to calling her "Archer". Not the most original name he could up with but it fit and maybe by the end of this she'd deem him worthy of knowing her true name.

Crouching down between two bushes close to the wall he set to work on the first part of their plan. They needed to remove the guards out front so he could get in and also blind at least one of the watchtowers so Archer could move in closer and have a better vantage point to attack from.

He wasn't a master of stealth but he could be pretty crafty and if he was quick he'd be able to take them both out before their disappearance could be noticed.

Hugging the wall he couldn't help but hold his breath as he inched passed the first tower taking care to make as little noise as possible. Archer wouldn't take her shot until he was in position and it wouldn't do for him to get caught too early. At least he managed to make it to the edge of the western wall and around the corner he knew the two front guards would be standing.

He drew his sword keeping it low to prevent any moonlight shining off of it and giving away his position as he slowly made his way around. As expected the two were leaning against the gate not paying that much attention to their surroundings which worked in his favor. Stepping closer he paused only a few feet away from the first and took a pause to prepare himself in case things went south.

_Then he sprung into action._

Before the first guard could even blink he'd already pounced. Sliding his blade into and through the man's neck violently, severing vocal cords and killing him almost instantly with a wet squelch as his sword carved through flesh.

The second guard, having heard the odd noise turned to face his partner but froze in horror at the sight of blood pouring from the once living and now lifeless corpse beside him. He went to shout for help but in his shock, he'd missed the blond rushing towards him until he felt fingers latching onto and around his throat and he was swiftly he was deprived of air. He wheezed and coughed as the unknown assailant's grip grew tighter and his vision started to bleed black, within moments he was driven to unconsciousness.

Naruto sighed and with a quick breath ended the life of the second bandit as well knowing that if he didn't Archer would simply kill him on her way in away. He didn't enjoy killing but he wouldn't allow these people to escape, not after what they did.

_***Thunk!***_

He unconsciously flinched at the sound of an arrow flying by and for a moment he was tempted to hit the deck before he remembered that she was supposed to be on _his _side right now. Looking up he wasn't surprised to see she'd hit her mark and the guard on the western tower stood slumped against one of the pillars, a single arrow buried right between his eyes.

She really had no mercy, did she? Granted he wasn't one to talk at the moment but still.

He watched her leap out of the shadows and practically glide her way over to the wall now that the biggest obstacles in their path were down for the count. He circled back to meet her to begin the next stage of their plan.

"Nice shot." He praised as the stood crouched underneath the now cleared tower.

"Child's play." She preened slightly willing to take a compliment for her skills even if it was from him. "Now quickly let's move." She ordered wanting to act quickly before anyone noticed their handiwork.

He nodded and held his hands out for her to climb onto using his strength to hoist her up just high enough to scale the wall idly making note that she was a bit lighter than he'd thought she'd be. He watched as she carefully climbed up the wooden scaffolding and took her place at the top waving down at him to move on.

Giving her a thumbs up he swiftly made his way back to the main entrance and with no one to stop him he made his way inside with no hassle and took cover behind a box of supplies.

Now ideally they'd want to get rid of the other tower's guard first, but that would require crossing the entire camp undetected and he doubted that he could manage that without leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. That would quickly be discovered anyway. Since that option was out they'd settled on the simplest course of action.

Remove as many of the sleeping guards from the equation and then clean up the rest. It wasn't the cleanest plan but there was no way they were going to get that many captives out quietly and if they left these guys alive they'd only come back to be a problem later.

It was harsh but they would have to suffer the consequences of their actions.

Looking up he could already see Archer taking out those she could from the tower, her arrows rained down like bolts of silent lightning ending the lives of those unaware down below in seconds. Honestly, he was torn between being impressed and kind of terrified at how accurate she was and made a mental note to try and keep things amicable between them for his own health.

He, of course, did his part as well ending the few stragglers that unknowingly to managed to escape her wrath with his own weapon granting them a quick death where he could. Eventually, they ran out of bandits they could remove quietly and all that remained were the few patrolling guards and the leader's tent a figure who neither of them had managed to catch a glimpse of up to this point.

Any fighting would surely draw them out but at this point, they didn't have much of a choice. They were in too deep and he doubted Archer would retreat now, not when they seemed so close. "The things I do for strangers..." He muttered before throwing caution to the wind and charging out towards the nearest pocket of bandits he could find.

Unprepared for his assault it didn't take him long to dispatch them cutting two down before the could even draw their weapons and the third fell soon after not having the skill needed to overcome his years of training.

_**"INTRUDERS!"**_

With the element of surprise gone, it didn't take long for the rest of the bandits to arm themselves and rush him, he counted at least eight but he had more pressing concerns right now! Leaning to his left he allowed a spiked mace to sail past him before lashing out with a punch to the offender's throat stunning them temporarily. In that time he quickly parried a blow right before elbowing that particular attacker in the chest sending them stumbling back into his incoming companions and knocking them over.

"He's just one guy for fuck's sake! Just kill him!" One of them shouted as they were all pushed back by the blonds overwhelming strength and combat ability.

Grabbing one of the men by the face he slammed him into the ground before lashing out with a kick that sent another flying. He was growing annoyed with being mobbed and with a flurry of slashes he cut the rest down like flies, his sword bathed in fresh blood as he cut and stabbed through the hoard of men.

Those that didn't meet their end by his blade died with arrows littering their corpses.

"You showed no mercy, good." Archer nodded in approval and salvaged what ammunition she could from the broken and bleeding bodies below. "If you had, I would have questioned your commitment to this task."

He frowned slightly at her. "I don't enjoy doing this to be clear but there wasn't much of a choice."

Before she could answer back however a third voice interrupted them.

"Well now... I don't suppose you two would like to explain yourselves would ya?" A sarcastic voice drawled out. "Or is this just how you people make an entrance, killing everything in sight?"

They both turned on their heels with weapons raised and came face to face with the leader of this camp.

A woman stood before them sporting a wicked grin on her face as she looked over their work, nudging her dead men's bodies with her boots and inspecting their wounds like a jeweler inspecting a freshly cut diamond.

She looked rather young when compared to the men in her employ, at most she could only be in her early to mid-twenties. She was average in regards to height but that was the only context in which the word average could be applied to the woman standing in front of them. Long fiery red hair twisted into twin braids that fell from her neck down just past the small of her back that swung back and forth with the slightest movement of her head. Her eyes were a light shade of brown that swirled and raged between emotions so abruptly they could hardly get a feel of what she was thinking.

Her outfit was also rather distinct.

She was grabbed head to toe in a mix of reds and blacks that complimented her hair color. Black combat boots with red bottoms that stopped at about midway up her calf, long smooth legs were left on full display before finally being cut off by a pair of black shorts tied with a dark crimson belt that held it in place. Up top, she wore a red cropped shirt that exposed her midriff and placed emphasis on her chest with while not the largest he'd seen was nothing to scoff at. On her shoulders sat an oversized black jacket that hung off her like a curtain given her size but completed the look.

Honestly, he thought she looked kinda cool… not that he would say that out loud though...

"What? Cat got your tongue?" She laughed not at all intimidated by the weapons being pointed at her. "Or maybe you're just looking for an introduction?" She grinned.

"Well if that's the case I'm happy to oblige ya!" She gave a mock bow. "I'm Devra, pleased to meet ya, my fellow troublemakers!" She introduced cheerfully.

"I don't care what your name is, I am going to kill you for what you've done!" Archer growled her fingers itching to fire upon the madwoman who sanctioned burning her home to the ground and taking her brothers and sisters.

Devra frowned and tilted her head. "Kill me? That's kinda mean don't ya think?" She gestured to the cages filled with frightened elves. "I mean it's thanks to me all your little buddies are still safe and sound. You wouldn't believe how handsy these morons could be." She whined as though her actions alleviated her of any wrongdoing.

"Why did you take them to begin with." He demanded, pointing his blade at her.

"Why?" She asked. "Money, plain and simple blondie." She snickered as though she'd just told the world funniest joke. "Most people haven't seen a wood elf before and you know how the rich are, right? They always got to have the most exotic stuff to show off to their rich friends, and nothing screams 'I'm better than you' than having an elf servant." She shrugged. "Got nothing against the little cuties personally but a girls gotta make a living somehow."

"So you'd sell a group of people to use them as what? Show animals?!" He knew that not everyone had his morals but the callous way she talked about just enslaving a group of people for a bit of money pissed him off to no end.

"Whatever the buyer does with them is their business, not mine." She gave a wry smile. "So long as I get paid in the end I don't really care."

_***Fwip!***_

Archer had heard enough and with hate in her eyes she allowed an arrow to fly directly at Devra's head. The woman didn't budge an inch to stop it either, her carefree smile still plastered on her face as the instrument of her coming death sailed it way towards her.

_But it never came._

Just before the arrow could pierce her skull the wood burst into flames as though it had combusted mid-flight setting the night sky alight with the soft glow of the quickly fading embers.

"Oh! Sorry about that but I can't say I'm a big fan of being dead." Devra gave a cheeky grin as small balls of fire began to appear behind her floating ominously in the dark. "But I will say you are a crack shot little rabbit! Wanna join my crew?" She asked with a smile almost as bright as the flames behind her.

Archer merely growled and let loose another volley but like before all of her arrows went up in flames leaving Devra standing their unharmed and bemused.

"I guess not... shame maybe you'll reconsider after you've had some time to think about it." She frowned but then smiled again as though the elf hadn't just tried to skewer her.

"There won't be any time to reconsider because you won't be leaving here." She snarled.

"Oh, but I have appointments to keep!" The bandit queen seemed to fret at the thought of being late. "I have to replace all these men, set up a new camp because this one is kinda..." She gestured to the bodies littering the floor. "Corpsey." She finished lamely.

She then turned to the blond. "Say... you seem pretty handy and you aren't too bad looking. Would you like to join me?!" She offered, giving him a wide-eyed doe look, complete with trembling bottom lip and all. It clashed heavily with the dark look she was going for but she asked so genuinely part of him almost felt guilty for having to decline. In fairness, it was a very very small part of him! The part that didn't seem to recognize she was selling people like they were objects to be owned.

"Gonna have to pass, but I will punch you _slightly _less hard than I originally planned on if that evens it out?" He grinned taking one step closer to the amused fire user.

"Well, that swell of ya!" She gave him a wild smirk in exchange. "But I'm gonna have to warn you both now..." Her cheerful expression faded and for the first time since she'd stepped onto the battlefield, she adopted a serious look that sent shivers down their spines. "If you try and fight me now... you will both die here." She warned with no hint of her earlier jubilation.

They paused at the attitude shift and for a split moment the air grew unbearably hot, it was as if someone for a brief moment had dragged the sun down to earth and placed it on top of them. Their breaths caught in their throats as they were forced to the floor gasping for air while she stared at them with a mixture of pity and resignation.

Then, just like that, it suddenly stopped.

"But you see... I kinda don't wanna kill ya!" She was back to all smiles as the fires seemed to blink out of existence one by one until she was once more bathed in the pale glow of the moonlight. "So you two troublemakers do what you came for and git." She made a shooing motion with her hands stunning them both.

If they weren't currently struggling to stand they might have found the whole situation comical.

"Y-You're just gonna let us free them? Just like that?" He asked managing to prop himself up on one leg. She just told them all she cared about was money so why suddenly go back on that?

"Mhmm." She nodded not even bothering to look at them anymore as she rummaged around her person for something. "Not like I plan to move these cuties on my own and it'll take forever to round up some idiots to replace these guys." She sighed and kicked at the bloodstained dirt with her boot.

"Ugh, maybe I should just stick with my day job..." She complained to herself turning on her heel and walking away.

"S-Stop damn you!" Archer screamed.

Devra paused and looked back at them. "Just give it a rest little rabbit, sometimes you just need to go with the flow." She grinned. "We'll meet again I'm sure, hopefully by then you're a bit stronger though or I'm gonna be disappointed." She teased. She then paused and tapped herself on the head. "Gah, I almost forgot!" She reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a small key. "You'll probably need this if you don't wanna be here all night working on those locks." She tossed it at their feet, the silver piece landing softly in the grass beneath them.

"Welp, thanks for killing all my men, getting in my way, and being a general pain in my rear... it really has been fun!" She gave them a cheery wave as she began to glow a bright gold before in the blink of an eye, she vanished. The only sign of her presence being a few glittering specks of yellow light that slowly blinked out of existence.

...

Neither of them was really sure what to say now... they'd won but in a way, they'd also lost. So many new questions left unanswered in the wake of this experience that would no doubt gnaw at them for some time. However, they still had a job to do and so with a final grunt of effort, they both pulled themselves to their feet to carry on their mission.

Grabbing the key, Archer hurried to the first of the locked cages and wasted no time in undoing the latch that held her people captive. With a soft click, the heavy lock came undone and dropped to earth while the door creaked open allowing a group of elves to rush out, grateful to be free of their confines at last.

It took Archer no time at all to repeat the process for the other two and within moments he was privy to the group celebrating both their freedom and their savior. Families that had been separated squeezed together tightly with tears in their eyes, friends laughed and cried together in jubilation, and the children were quick to begin recreating the events they'd just witnessed, drawing back fake bows and falling over to invisible arrows.

It warmed his heart to see.

Archer herself was the center of attention being buried in a massive group hug as she was showered in thanks and praise, for the first time since he'd met her she seemed genuinely happy. He could even spot faint tear streaks running down her cheeks as she happily embraced her people.

He smiled at the scene and soundless began to make his exit, this was their moment and he wouldn't spoil it. He'd almost made it to the gate before the sound of footsteps running up behind him caused him to stop, turning to see just who was chasing after him.

"Archer." He shouldn't have been surprised she noticed him wandering off.

"Ayelia." She corrected swiftly her eyes no longer brimming with the same contempt they'd had prior when she looked upon him. " Ayelia Telvoth, I think you have earned a name at least."

"Ayelia..." He tested the name on his lips before he nodded. "It's a pretty name, it suits you." He replied truthfully, causing her to scowl slightly though there was an almost unnoticeable hint of red coloring her cheeks.

"It's not supposed to be pretty." She growled causing him to hold his hands up in surrender.

"Hehe, my bad!" He laughed sheepishly before smiling. "Since we're finally getting to proper introductions my name is Naruto Uzumaki, wandering adventure and future hero!" He laughed holding his hand out to her.

She smirked and took it in her own. "Personally, I think wandering fool fits you better but very well." She joked, causing him to chuckle, happy to see that there was another side to the girl other than just pissed off and deadly.

"You are so mean." He pouted in mock anger.

"You'll live, you overgrown child..." She then gestured to her people that had gathered to watch their interaction from a distance. "Why don't you go and meet them?" She offered, causing him to look at her with surprise.

"What happened to that warning about them probably trying to kill me?" He reminded her, he wasn't very keen on testing his luck against an angry mob.

"Oh, that still applies." She patted him on the shoulder and began dragging him forward with a surprising amount of strength. "But I could not have done this without your assistance and whether they like it or not you _are _part of the reason they are free. I will vouch for you if need be."

He would have tried harder to convince her otherwise had he not quickly found himself standing opposite a large group of elves, their keen eyes seemingly piercing his soul as they inspected him and he had to fight off the urge to shift uncomfortably in place as they did so.

He could see a wide array of emotion in their eyes such as curiosity, confusion, anxiousness, a bit of contempt here and there, and a surprising amount of... gratitude?

One elf, in particular, a tall woman that stood before the group stepped forward and to his surprise reached out and took his hand into her own. She smiled and squeezed his fingers between hers and bowed slightly. "Thank you so much, stranger..." Her words were soft but overflowing with emotion. "I do not know why you came to our aid but we can not thank you enough for assisting young Ayelia in freeing us."

He wasn't sure how to respond to such genuine gratitude and he could help but scratch at his head in embarrassment, his cheeks going a bright red. "A-Ah it was nothing after she explained the situation I couldn't just not try and do something." He tried to wave off her praise.

She gave a faint laugh and smiled. "You are a noble soul... I do hope the gods will reward you for such kindness." She released his hand and he thanked her for the well wishes.

"I am content with knowing you all are safe again." He then turned to his elven companion and gave her a look. "I also hope this means you won't be taking potshots at any more travelers." He stressed causing her to roll her eyes and grunt.

"I make no promises." She scoffed but he had a good feeling it was more for show than anything.

He shook his head and waved to the rest of the assembled group. "I wish you all well and I am truly sorry for what was done to you. I hope this won't permanently color your opinion of us, there are good people out there who don't wish you any harm. He bowed and apologized on behalf of his people and some of them bowed in return which made him smile a bit.

"It was a pleasure and I hope we may meet again, on better terms." He then dusted his pants off and turned back in the direction of the main road. "Take care, Ayelia it was fun working with you." He gave her a wave and they watched as he slowly walked past the gate and back out into the forest.

* * *

"Ugh, no good deed really does go unpunished." He frowned as he realized that he had pretty much turned added an extra day to his trip at this point. He didn't regret helping out people in need but he wasn't looking forward to the extra day of travel.

Not to mention the lack of sleep.

"First thing I'm doing when I get to town is ordering a room and taking a day off." His stomach chose this time to remind him that he hadn't eaten in a good few hours. "Okay, we'll get food first and then the day off." He promised his stomach which growled in seeming acceptance.

"Do you normally talk to yourself?"

He _nearly _shrieked in fright as a voice chimed into his little self discussion sending his heart into overdrive in his chest and sending him tumbling to the floor.

"Pfffftttt..."

He groaned in annoyance as he pushed himself back up and made a show of wiping off the dirt and grass that now clung to his clothes. He scowled and turned on the figure to his right who was currently leaning against one of the many trees vainly trying to stifle their laughter.

"I think I liked it better when you were just attacking me." He huffed glaring at the elven woman who had apparently decided to follow him on his way back.

"As a wander, you should be more aware of your surroundings." She fired back one she'd gotten her laughter under control. "You never know what dangers might but stalking you from the shadows."

"Why exactly are you here?" He groaned. "Shouldn't you be back with your group?" He questioned, surprised that she'd followed him away from her group when there was so much rebuilding for them to do.

"I'm here because I have decided to come with you." She stated bluntly not the kind of girl to beat around the bush. "You have proven trustworthy and your skill in battle is... passable." She gave a cheeky smirk at his scowl. "So I will lend you my abilities for a time."

"Why the sudden desire? You were pretty clear that you aren't exactly the biggest fan of people." He wasn't entirely against her joining him by any means but the sudden change of heart was rather jarring. "Plus you'd be leaving your people behind… don't you want to stay and protect them?"

She frowned. "They do not require my protection, there are many skilled archers and hunters among them and I can be replaced." She admitted in a matter of fact way, they'd only been defeated because they'd been unprepared for such an attack. "I have always strayed further than I should ever since I was a child. This is the opportunity for me to go further than I ever have before." She admitted her frown turned downright murderous. "I also plan to find that woman and bring her to justice for what she did."

So that was her goal, he had to admit he was annoyed that the flame-wielding bandit had escaped and more to the point had held their lives in the palm of her hands with barely any effort. Being so outclassed made him feel... small.

"That doesn't explain why you want to come with me thought? You could easily set out on your own after all, you are more than capable of it." He retorted.

She paused and looked as though she was trying desperately to form the right words, for him or herself he couldn't be sure.

"You… are not terrible." She admitted causing him to roll his eyes at her reluctant to admit he wasn't an awful person. "You could have left me on that road… it shames me to say that you very well could have killed me, as you had every right to do so." She said.

"But you didn't… you helped me when you didn't have to and put yourself in harm's way for no reward." She looked him in the eye and even with the low light he was able to catch a twinkle of respect in her gaze. "It would be foolish of me to lump you with those others, I feel… comfortable, with you. So, if I may I would request you allow me to join you" She finally admitted trying her best not to let her emotions overtake her.

His frown softened and he sighed. "You do know that this will be dangerous right? We'll also be traveling through plenty of human settlements." He wanted her to be certain of her choice not just caught up in the afterglow of success.

She nodded. "This is what I want, the dangers do not frighten me and at the very least..." She paused and gave him a friendly glance. "I have one human I believe I can trust… at least for now" She quickly amended looking away from him with a huff.

Now confident with her answer he couldn't help but grin and laugh. "Then I guess that's it then, welcome to the club!" He chuckled and spun on his heel continuing back to the main road. "We'll have to celebrate this later because right now I want to pass out so let's go!" He cheered marching forward without a care, leaving her to follow behind with a sigh of exasperation.

Ayelia shook her head, she was already very certain that this new chapter of her life was going to be filled with outlandish nonsense and tons of trouble...

Even so, she couldn't help but find herself growing eager to face it all and maybe along the way learn more about her new companion as well.

* * *

**AN. Chapter Done!**

**Whew! A bit longer than a planned, closer to 9k words which kinda defeats what I said before about slightly shorter chapters but oh well! As I said above, thank you again to everyone who's given the story a chance and enjoyed it so far, it has been a blast to write even if it's also a massive pain lol.**

**Who would have thought having to create your own stories would be difficult haha.**

**So let's get into some stuff regarding the story that you may want to know:**

**For one I wanted to talk about the plot of this fic and how it's going to work. As of right now, you can see there isn't an overarching main object for Naruto other than just going out there and exploring the world. I want to keep that at the core of this story but I do also wish to at some point give it a "Main Plot" or multiple main plots depending on long this story goes on for. For right now though we have little side plots like you just read, some will be shorter like this one that managed to be wrapped up in one chapter and others will likely span multiple chapters.**

**Another thing is not every chapter/side story is going to be completely action-based like the ones we've seen so far. Trials did afford time for light-hearted moments of just character interactions and so I plan to get some of that here as well. Naruto and gang will go on less serious outings and have some wacky/silly stories as well so if you enjoy stuff like that you'll get those at some point.**

**Also for those that found the "Sound Effects" for arrows being fired somewhat distracting or annoying those won't be added as much/if at all going forward. I just did them as a way for Naruto/readers to know when she fired and how many arrows she did. Now that she's part of the cast I can lean into her perspective more and that means I don't need to do it often/if at all**

**Moving on from that let's talk characters!**

**So we got two new characters in this chapter in the forms of Devra and Ayelia, who are both pretty interesting.**

**Devra is the first character to display some magic ability and is clearly much more powerful than she might appear, her cheerful personality contrasting with her less than righteous actions and moral compass. Her motivations seem clear but what she says versus what she does puts that into question somewhat.**

**Then we have Ayelia, Naruto's first main traveling partner. I decided to go with an elf since it feels slightly criminal to create a fantasy setting and **_**not **_**introduce some form of an elf. Originally she was going to be a magic user but I decided to lean more into the roguish elements with her given where we meet her. She is a tough but fair character and when she's not infuriated or on the job, she's much more easy-going, if a bit prideful. Seeing as she's joined the main party we will get a better grasp of her personality in time.**

**As a small note many of the different species of inhabitants (Elves, Goblins, Dragons, etc) will have different groups among them. So just because we have a wood elf doesn't mean we won't see other types like Dark elves and such.**

**There was no lemon this chapter as I predicted seeing that up until the end Ayelia had no fondness for humans but she is warming up to her new companion a bit so of course, we'll see what comes of that. I can't say whether or not chapter 3 will have a lemon… we'll see.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! As always feel free to PM with questions and I will do my best to answer them. Review and let me know your thoughts and I will see you next time!**


	4. New Arrivals in Bleakcrest

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own thoughts and ideas, anything else to their original creators!**

**Hello again! I've missed you all but we are back with another chapter, this one is a bit shorter but I already mentioned that not every chapter was going to be as long as the first two. I also want to again say thank you for the positive reception to the story, I'm glad you guys are enjoying it and it makes me happy to see the time being put in here isn't being wasted. **

**I'll talk more at the end so you all can just get to reading, enjoy!**

* * *

It turns out that you can learn quite a bit about someone in just two days.

With nothing to do but get to know one another while they trekked onwards towards Bleakcrest, Naruto and Ayelia had managed to close the distance between them quite a bit during their travels. More so on Ayelia's part than his own if they were being honest as she discovered more of his history and the kind of man he was. She was still as prideful as ever taking any opportunity to downplay his abilities but it lacked any real hostility by this point and was much more in jest. He'd also learned plenty about her as they swapped stories.

As he'd expected she had grown up with her tribe in the forests that had surrounded his home, her people used their natural agility and in-depth knowledge of the wilds to avoid direct contact with either of the nearby towns and instead kept mainly to themselves when possible. They traveled occasionally when parts of the forest grew less than ideal but they never really strayed too far if they didn't need too.

She also shared bits and pieces of her childhood with him, stories of her sneaking off from her village and getting into mischief or fights with the other children. She had apparently been somewhat of a little spitfire in her youth. She still was in his opinion but in the interest of not getting an arrow to the knee, he decided to keep that belief to himself.

They'd gone and swapped little tidbits about themselves such as their likes and dislikes and even their dreams for the future. Currently, both of them simply wanted to explore the world and make a name for themselves which had helped them bond a bit as they agreed to work together on that front. He'd also discovered some other little pieces like that she was particularly fond of swimming, while on the other hand she absolutely hated snow and cold in general. It made sense given that she didn't wear much, to begin with and hunting in the freezing snows of winter probably didn't make it better.

She had, of course, paired winter and humans as the top two things she despised but he had expected as such and merely laughed it off much to her annoyance about him not taking her seriously. She was certainly interesting if nothing else, she could be fierce and unrelenting one moment then unexpectedly kind or bashful in the next... he found her a bit confusing but then again from his experience _all _women were confusing.

He was just now learning that seemed to apply across all species.

_***Thump***_

"Oww! Why are you hitting me?!" He whined holding the new lump on his head pitifully as Ayelia rolled her eyes and huffed her arm crossed over her chest. She reminded him of a pouting child that had just lost an argument.

"You looked like you were thinking something irritating." She answered simply not even bothering to look at him, her confidence in her action shining through.

"You can't just hit people because you assume they're thinking something you don't like!" He groaned sending her a sideways glare that she promptly ignored in favor of inspecting her arrows.

"Anyway..." She continued without the slightest hint of remorse in her tone. "What exactly do you have planned next? Surely you have some ideas for what you want to do?" She asked curiously. He had, of course, clued her into their next destination but very little of his plans beyond that point.

"Nothing really." He shrugged causing her to nearly trip over herself at the nonchalant answer. "That's kind of the point of this, going out and just seeing where life takes you." He clarified bring his hands to rest behind his head while they walked.

"Just when you begin to impress me you then go and make me want to smack you..." She sighed. "How did you only plan one town in advance?"

"I mean... I didn't plan on having an assassination attempt on my life just hours after leaving my home." He noted causing her to blanch at the reminder that she _had _in fact tried to kill her current traveling companion. "I also didn't plan on destroying a bandit camp and freeing a group of elves either. Sometimes you just have to take what life hands you and make the best of it."

She desperately wanted to argue against that but she would begrudgingly admit he had a point... a point that she had technically given him.

Damn it.

"Fine. How much longer until we reach town?" She huffed, she was more than a tad tired from the nonstop traveling and at this point, she would happily take anything to get off her feet.

"It shouldn't be much longer if anything we should be seeing the wall..." He squinted off into the distance and grinned. "Right about now!"

True to his word, the line of trees finally seemed to part allowing them to bask fully in the morning sun unhindered. Just beyond them, a medium-sized town could be seen further down, even from here they could see some notable landmarks in the form of a large water mill and a few towering stone buildings that arched high into the sky.

Ayelia looked down upon the seemingly thriving town with a mixture of wonder and trepidation. Wonder, having never personally seen a human settlement due to the strict rules about traveling to them and trepidation knowing this was going to be her first time entering such a place and not knowing what kind of reception she would receive.

A gentle but firm hand settled around her shoulder and she was momentarily distracted from her doubts, her attention now drawn to the blond by her side who gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about it, you'll be fine." He spoke softly. With her rather iron-willed personality, it was easy for him to forget that this was still going to be a new experience for her. "I doubt anyone there could do much to you anyway so nothing to be concerned about." He assured her with a grin.

"Of course I will, I have nothing to fear from a bunch of townspeople." She scoffed but didn't remove the hand and he could see a small spark of gratitude in her eyes that let him know his gesture was appreciated.

"Right..." He chuckled then increased the pace. "Let's not waste any time then!" He cheered dragging her along by the hand causing her to shout in annoyance as they bounded down the path with reckless abandon.

_Why was she traveling with him again?!_

_..._

_Ah right, because she'd be utterly lost on her own._

"I didn't realize Bleakcrest got so big..." Even he was kind of in awe at the place, the last time he was here the town was a little smaller than Redpoint but now he could clearly tell something had allowed them to expand somewhat. Even the people seemed to be more lively than he remembered with the cobblestone streets filled to the brim with merchants peddling their wares or travelers selling their stories to the local populace.

"The town's name doesn't seem very fitting..." She noted seeing the cheerful faces of the townsfolk as they wandered through the streets. "These people also don't seem to know the meaning of subtlety." She muttered as many of the locals paused to stare at them as they passed, their eyes fixed on them with a mixture of amazement and curiosity.

"In their defense, the town was supposedly named after a species of bird that used to live here and in fairness you do stand out quite a bit." He chuckled and gave her a once over with his eyes. "It's only natural that they're going to be a bit curious about you."

"That doesn't mean they should stare." She retorted, unconsciously moving closer to blond at her side as if to shift their attention away from her. "I'm not something to be gawked at." She huffed angrily.

"Hmmm." He rubbed his chin for a few moments before an idea came to him. "Well, you might stand out a bit less if your clothes were..." He paused trying to find the right way to say this. "Less unique." He finished giving her a quick once over out of the corner of his eye. "The snow-white hair and long ears don't help either.

She blinked and looked down at her apparel curiously. "Is there something wrong with my outfit?" She half asked half accused with firm glare, daring him to mock her choice of clothing.

"Nothings wrong with it, it actually fits you well." He assured her absentmindedly not at all noticing her slight expression of contentment at his words. "However, it also makes you stand out way more since no one else is dressed like you." He gestured quietly to the local townsfolk and even himself, not one of them could boast such interesting apparel.

She frowned at his point, her clothing was pretty standard as far as Wood Elves were concerned but among all these humans she was rather out of place. Her mix of bright forest greens contrasted heavily against the sea of whites, browns, and blacks that seemed more common among his people.

"Hey?" He nudged her slightly. "How about we get you a change of clothes while we're here?" He offered, he didn't want her to spend her time walking around like some kind of sideshow attraction. He couldn't do much about her hair or her ears but at the very least he could help her fit in a bit better and make her a bit more comfortable if possible.

"I don't have any money." She reminded him, she'd never needed it since her people had no real contact with outsiders. What use was hoarding such a currency if you never interacted with the people who used it? "I doubt anyone will just hand any random stranger off the street anything."

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised by that..." He frowned before shrugging. "Then I'll just have to cover you until you've made some money for yourself." He resolved, causing her to pause slightly.

"I can't ask that of you." She said instantly. She did not join him to immediately become a burden... if she had to put up with strange looks and whispers than she would but she did not wish to be some kind of charity case.

"Then it's a good thing you didn't ask." He replied waving her off his movement was ground to a halt when she reached out and grabbed his arm. Her iron grip locking him in place and forcing him to turn and face her.

"Do you think I am incapable of handling myself?" She hissed, her green eyes sparkled with irritation and slight hurt as she glared up at him. "I don't want any handouts." Her annoyance was clear, she appreciated the gesture but she was not some child that needed her hand held by others.

He sighed and to her shock instead of backing down, he instead reached forward with his free hand and flicked her on her forehead the dull thud of his finger echoing through her skull.

"Idiot, I'm not offering this out of pity." He spoke calmly even as she sputtered at the audacity. "Were partners now, remember? You watch out for me and I watch out for you that's how this works. Right now you need help getting on your feet so I'll help you out and when you're ready you can pay me back." He reasoned not at all fussed about her complaints.

She stared at him unsure of whether to be annoyed that he was ignoring her wishes or slightly touched that he'd go so far for her after such a short time. She saw no hint of doubt in his action and confidence in his words, as though he truly believed everything he said.

"Tsk..." She wanted to argue more but their little spat had drawn ever more attention if that was possible and already she could make out faint whispers that if anything only made this twice as awful for her.

_"Heh, that lads got some guts I'll give him that..."_

_"Such a gentleman, why can't you be more like that dear?..."_

_"Aww, they look kind of cute together don't you think?..."_

She could feel her ears burn a bright scarlet at that last one and she quickly began dragging a now confused blond behind her who could do little more than allow himself to be pulled along much to the growing amusement of the onlooking townspeople.

_She absolutely loathed humans!_

* * *

"Sooo..." He looked down at the still flustered elf by his side. "Wanna explain what that was all about?" He asked as the made their way down one of the less crowded roads.

"No." She declined curtly.

He raised a single eyebrow at the swift response. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." She affirmed hotly a slight edge to her tone informing him that if he pushed her further there would be consequences.

"Alright then." He sighed and just left her to her brooding, she wasn't trying to kill anyone so he'd just assume whatever it was couldn't be that bad. "So are you still going to fight me on the new clothes?" He asked.

She paused before allowing her shoulders to slump. "No... I will not fight you about the new clothes." She finally relented but turned and gave him a heated glare. "I _will_, however, pay you back the moment I can, no ifs or buts about it!" She demanded, her pride wouldn't allow anything less than that.

"That's fair." He nodded, he had no qualms about it if that's what she wanted to do. "I think I saw a few shops along the way while you were dragging me around that we can check."

The two looked around at a few shops before finally coming across one that suited their needs. It was a plain shop but it claimed to offer both a selection of casual clothing and some armored offerings as well so for right now it would have to do. Stepping inside they were greeted by a much more expansive set of options than its appearances suggested and within minutes the two were wandering through rows of various clothing options.

"See anything you like?" He asked. Shopping wasn't really his specialty so he was kind of hoping that she would be able to pick out her own clothes without too much input from him. If Caroline were here he'd have asked her to do this on his behalf.

Then again the last time he'd gone shopping with her he'd lost an entire weeks pay so maybe it was better that he get involved...

Ayelia meanwhile was shifting through various clothes almost just as lost as he was. She'd never really had to care about what she wore before and even just picking up something casual was proving to be a bit much. Dresses, skirts, shirts, shoes, blouses, jackets, and more seemed to stretch on for miles and honestly, she had no clue where to begin.

_Why did there need to be several versions of the same item?!_

Thankfully one of the employes, a plain-looking young woman with brown hair and eyes seemed to catch on the pair's struggles and made herself available to help. "Excuse me, do you two perhaps need some assistance?" She asked kindly causing them to turn to her with a mixture of surprise and relief.

"If you could that would be helpful." He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, to think that he had no issues fighting monsters but when it came to picking out clothes he was about as useful as a child. "We're looking to get her a few pairs of casual clothing and perhaps some new armor while we're here." He explained gesturing to his companion as he spoke.

"I see." The young woman eyed the elf with the same barely restrained fascination as the rest of the town for a few moments before snapping out of her trance. "Ah, I'm sorry I would be happy to help!" She bowed offering an apologetic smile.

Ayelia rolled her eyes but wasn't about to complain about someone handling this mess of fabrics for her. "Your help is very much appreciated."

The woman waved her off and began sorting through the many piles of clothing laid out before her. "Of course, if you two would go wait by the changing rooms I will be over with some things for you to try." She waved them off absently, her attention now held firmly on her task.

The two shared a look but shrugged and wandered off as instructed.

It took no time at all for their helper to return with a few bundles of clothes under her arm and an eager look upon her face as she handed Ayelia the stack and began leading her into the changing room.

"Put these on and then step out so we can see what works and what might need to be adjusted." The woman instructed not leaving even a moment for the young elf to protest before she was hidden away behind a sliding curtain.

"What about you?" She then turned to him, her once warm brown eyes now extremely critical, as though she wasn't looking at him but rather through him sending nervous shivers down his spine.

"I'm all set, this is just for her." He clarified quickly causing her to pout but nod nonetheless. What was it about clothing that got girls so riled up?!

"This feels weird..." Ayelia's voice spoke softly quickly turning their attention to the now changed elf. Gone was her old forest aesthetic and in its place was definitely a more traditional city outfit. Her old leather skirt was now replaced by a pair of short cuffed brown shorts that showed off her long and lean legs and hugged her pert bottom tightly giving no illusions about her figure.

Similarly, her old leafy cuirass was now replaced with a dull green and white archers corset that seemed both flexible but also sturdy which would serve her well. It also had the added effect of showing off her... lack of development upstairs. On her hands were a pair of dark brown fingerless gloves and gone were her days of walking barefoot and instead, she now wore a pair of brown open-toed sandals.

Overall it fit her well and was much less conspicuous compared to her previous outfit, plus it could easily double both as casual attire and her primary armor.

"It looks good on you!" The woman gushed and looked the now bashful elf over with approval before turning to him. "Well? What do you think, doesn't it look great?" She asked prompting Ayelia to turn to him with a slight look of anticipation on her face as she was suddenly forced under the blond's gaze.

She firmly tried to assure herself that she _didn't _care in the slightest what he thought of her even as she was forced to twirl and pose before him.

He looked her over and had to admit the look suited her, both from a practical standpoint as well as enhancing her natural elven features.

"You look amazing." He nodded with a wide smile. Caroline had beat it into his head that the proper response to this question was flattery, and it's not like he was lying or anything, she did look really good in that outfit.

Ayelia offered some muted words of thanks as she did her best not to allow his words to affect her too drastically, an endeavor that she was currently failing at causing their third observer to laugh quietly into her palm at the duo. She wasn't sure if they were together or not but the little elf clearly had some fondness for the blond boy that she found utterly adorable.

"If you are comfortable with that then I can grab a few more sets for you!" She then pulled out more clothing and he suddenly felt dread grip as Ayelia was unceremoniously shoved back behind the curtain. "Now try this one on and let's see how it looks!"

He had the distinct feeling that they were going to be here for a while...

...

"That wasn't so bad, and it was really nice of her to give us that discount but I wonder why she did?" He grinned as they made their way back into the central parts of town with bags in hand. "Did she tell you?" He asked having seen the young woman pull the elf to the side and whisper something into the girl's ear.

"It was nothing just some advice about the clothes." She answered quickly not wanting to reveal the real reason for the kindly woman's discounted price on the clothing.

_"Don't wait too long to make him yours, you don't want him getting stolen right under your nose! I threw in some free nightwear that's sure to make him notice you~"_

She shook her head and tried to push those parting words out of her mind, not even a full day around humans and she was already exhausted from dealing with them. She was, of course, shoving her own part in her exasperation to the side.

"Oh, okay then." He nodded accepting her answer. "Well, at least now you aren't attracting as much attention." He noted, there was much less gawking going on now that she seemed to blend in much more without her old forest themed garb. Sure there were a few odd glances here and there but overall they might as well have been completely inconspicuous.

"That is comforting." She admitted happy to no longer be on the receiving end of whispering and barely hidden stares of wonder. She liked being hidden away and having dozens of eyes on her made her want to just take the rooftops and move around that way.

Actually, that didn't sound too bad...

"Where are we headed now?" She asked putting her new potential method of travel on hold for a moment to focus up. "Or are we just going to wander around for a bit longer?"

"Well, first things first we need to find a place to stay." He informed her, they weren't on the road right now and they couldn't exactly just pitch a tent in the streets. "So we'll look for an inn or tavern and then we'll head out to see whoever in charge around here."

"Why would we do that?" She asked. She understood finding a place to rest but why did they need to see the local authority?

"Because we are going to do some work and if there is anything I've learned during my time as a guard, it's that the best jobs tend to come from those in charge." He explained. "Well, at least the best _legal _jobs anyway." He amended.

She nodded, she supposed that made sense.

After a fair bit of walking and the help of a few friendly locals, the two finally managed to locate the main inn of Bleakcrest, a place called The Gilded Crest. It was fairly large but nothing too grandiose, ultimately it was just a well maintained and apparently fairly popular inn given the number of people that seemed to be loitering around enjoying drinks or just chatting away in their own corners.

Stepping up to the head counter they were greeted by a friendly looking man who turned to face them with a smile. He seemed to be a slightly older gentleman but he wasn't over the hill yet by any means with a full head of black hair and a matching pair of warm black eyes. He also sported a bit of stubble along his face that might have aided in his slightly aged appearance.

"Hello there, names Victor but everyone just calls me Vic. What can I do for ya?" He introduced with a grin as he shined an empty glass in his hands.

Naruto grinned and gestured to himself and his company. "We're looking to rent a place to stay for a few days before we head out and it seemed like this was the place to go according to all the locals." He explained getting a proud nod for the man.

"That it is!" He bellowed, pride evident in his voice. "Well, I'd be happy to get you set up but... there is a slight snag." He admitted looking between the two causing them to worry a bit."

"What's the problem?" He asked.

"Well, ya see we're kinda full at the moment." He gestured to the sizable number of patrons filling the inn. "I do have a room available but that's just it... I have _one _room left. If you're okay with that, then it's yours but I don't want to presume." He answered leaving it to them.

"Give us a quick moment to discuss, could you hold that room for a bit?" He asked apologetically.

"Sure, unless you get up and leave, I'll keep it reserved for ya." Vic replied and shuffled off to help a few other customers in the meantime.

"Thanks!" He called out before turning to Ayelia who seemed a bit frustrated at the situation. "So I take it you wouldn't be comfortable with this arrangement?" He asked seeing the look on her face.

"It's not that I can't..." She sighed and her tense expression dropped. "It's just... well just it's a bit embarrassing..." She muttered refusing to look him in the eye. In her tribe everyone was raised almost like family, everyone knew everyone else and it wasn't uncommon for guests to stay over and share space so ordinarlly the prospect of just sharing a room with someone wouldn't even phase her.

But Naruto was _not_ her family, he was a stranger... sort of? It wasn't that she didn't trust him but to sleep in the same room? What if they had to sleep in the same bed?! Against her will, her mind conjured up some images that she was unprepared for and she could only thank the gods that the glow of the candle lights made the blood rushing to her face less noticeable.

He nodded, he could understand that hesitation. Personally, he wasn't a fan of staying with strangers either but he didn't really view Ayelia as a _stranger _by this point and he had gotten used to less than ideal sleeping arrangements during his time bunking with his fellow guards. "Well it's up to you, maybe we can try and find another place."

She shook her head, she'd already derailed his plans enough as it was she didn't plan to be problematic at every turn. "No no! You can get the room." She assured. It was only for a few days and if she was going to be traveling with him than she would need to get used to his presence regardless.

"You sure?" He asked.

"Yes, you can get the room it's fine." She said.

"Alright!" He grinned and tapped the counter grabbing Vic's attention who made his way back over. "We'll take the room." He explained earning a nod for Vic who smiled at the two.

"Well alright then." He reached down onto his belt and handed the blond a small key. "It's the last room on the left upstairs, don't worry about making a mess just try not to break anything ya hear." He said.

"We won't." The blond promised. "How much do I owe you?" He asked.

"It's twenty gold pieces a night." Vic answered.

"Fair enough." The blond paid the man for the first two nights and the duo swiftly made their way up and into their temporary home for the next few days.

It was a decent enough place with all the essentials a person could really need a fairly large-sized bed shoved off into the corner, a small bathroom to the side, a little fur carpet and some chairs spread around for guests he imagined. Certainly not a place to live forever but it would be more than enough for the two of them to make due.

"Well, it's got a nice homey sort of vibe." He praised stepping into the room and setting his stuff down. "I kinda like it." He grinned, turning to Ayelia who was putting her own things away.

"It's not what I'm used to but it's not terrible either." She admitted setting herself down in one of the chairs littered around the room.

"Glad you approve." He laughed while looking around. "Kinda reminds me of my old place before I had to move into the barracks." Before he'd joined the guard he and Caroline had shared a place similar to this, it had been pretty small but it was theirs before they'd both gone onto bigger and better things.

Damn... he was already starting to miss the place and he'd only been gone for a few days. Not to mention he was beginning to miss Caroline quite a bit, she'd been a constant in his life for the longest time... now that she wasn't with him he could help but feel a bit lost without her.

Maybe they'd have a post office, he could try writing to her but he wasn't sure she'd get it and be able to respond in time before they left.

"Naruto..." Ayelia's voice pulled him from those thoughts and he quickly snapped back to reality. He would figure something out when he had time.

"Sorry, could you repeat that? " He asked.

"I asked if we were still going to head out and try and find some work." She asked, curious about what had distracted the blond so much. She'd briefly seen a look of frustration fall upon his face before she'd disturbed him but she was a bit afraid to ask and it wasn't her place to pry into his private affairs anyway.

"Right!" He nodded and grabbed his sword. "Sorry about that but thank you for reminding me." He offered her one of his usual grins and made his way to the door. "Come on, hopefully they'll have something worth our time."

She smiled seeing him bounce back to his usual self and nodded, grabbing her bow and arrows she quickly made her way out behind him.

* * *

"You are looking for work?" A gruff male voice asked, its owner looking at the pair in front of him with an appraising eye as they made their request.

"Yes, sir, preferably something challenging if possible." He grinned resting his arm along his blade leaving no illusions about what kind of challenge the duo were looking for.

Before them sitting in a comfy leather chair was the supposed Mayor of Bleakcrest. He was definitely a man getting on in his years judging by his dully grey hair and a worn wrinkled face that had clearly seen the ravages of time, he had a glassy pair of dark blue eyes that shone with both wisdom and experience that had no doubt helped him secure his position even in his older age. He was a lean man as well, not overly skinny but he certainly didn't give off any vibes of great strength or physical authority that one might expect in a leader, dressed in a simple white button-down shirt and dress pants he honestly looked more like someones kindly old grandfather than the mayor of a bustling town like this.

"You are aware the town does have a job board, correct? I'm sure there is something there for adventurers of your particular talents." The aged leader asked with a hint of amusement at the gall of the blond who had just walked into the mayoral building without a care in the world seeking an audience with him.

The blond shrugged. "Maybe so but as the mayor, I'm sure there are some problems you think shouldn't be up on that board that you'd rather keep quiet to avoid any panic." He leveled a serious look at the elder sitting before them who gave nothing away merely sitting comfortably in his chair.

The aged leader gave a short rattling laugh. "You have a lot of nerve boy... tell me what's your name?" He asked with a hint of mirth.

"Naruto Uzumaki, sir." He introduced. "This is my partner Ayelia Telvoth." He gestured to the elf who gave a short nod of respect to the man but otherwise kept quiet allowing her partner to deal with the situation.

"Uzumaki... you're from Redpoint aren't you?" The elderly man laughed earning a confused look from the blond.

"How do you know that?" He asked curiously wondering how the man had guessed just from his name.

"My boy, Captain Anders spoke frequently of you in his letters to me." The aged mayor gave a toothy grin. "'A hot-blooded fool who never fails to give me a headache!' is how he described you once." The man laughed while Naruto grumbled under his breath and Ayelia snicked less than quietly to the side.

He was going to have words with that old fart. Less than pleasant words.

"Even so..." The elder continued. "I could tell he respected you, never has that man been so fixated on one of his soldiers before so you must have left a better impression than you might think." He praised causing the blond to be taken aback slightly. "That also means you may be more suited to a task that I have sitting away."

"But first proper introductions, you have given me your names so it is only fair I give you mine. I am Mayor Rivers of Bleakcrest, it is a pleasure to meet you." He greeted warmly causing the two to relax at the kindness in the old mans voice. "I hope you've been treated well by both my town and the people within it." He smiled before swiftly adopting a more serious expression.

"As for a job, I do have one like I said but be warned this dangerous and I do not wish to lose more people to this task." His voice was grave and the pair quickly straightened up to show they were taking this seriously.

"Give us the details."

"As you no doubt have noticed Bleakcrest has expanded quite a bit in recent years. This is in large part thanks to a sudden boost to our crop yields and health that has gifted us with greater trade opportunities and has also brought in waves of visitors and new citizens as we renovate the town." Rivers explained. "However, recently as we've continued to try and expand outwards our efforts have been completely halted." He revealed.

Ayelia frowned. "By what exactly?"

"That's just it... we don't know." Rivers sighed. "Every team and adventurer we've sent out to investigate has never returned. Eventually, it became more dangerous than I was willing to ignore so I pulled the job off the board and halted any plans to move deeper into the forest." He looked at them seriously. "I need to know what's going on and if it is a threat to the town as a whole but I also do not wish to risk anyone's life more than I have to."

"So you want us to try and figure out what's out there." He guessed.

Rivers nodded. "If you can that would be appreciated, even if you can't stop it just knowing _what _it is would be more than helpful. You would, of course, be well compensated for your assistance in this matter." He assured.

The pair looked at one another before turning back to the aged mayor. "We'll take the job but we're going to need a bit more to work off of. Where exactly have the disappearances been taking place and are there any clues to what this thing might be?"

"You should start your investigation to the West that's where almost every detachment has gone missing and it's also the densest patch of woodlands remaining around here. As for clues the only things we've found have been pieces of discarded armor left abandoned in the forest." He paused for a moment before continuing. "The odd thing about them is almost every piece was coated in a thick goo or slime-like substance that we've had no luck in assigning to any known creature in these woods." He explained with a hint of frustration.

"Are there still pieces of this armor around?" He asked, curious to see this "slime" for himself.

"Not in our possession, no." He answered sadly. "Whatever it is either sinks back into the earth or dries up when exposed to the sun or air for too long so all we have left are just pieces of leftover armor." He rubbed his chin. "However, you may find more pieces strewn about during your search since my teams did not push all the way into that section forest."

Naruto nodded. "Then we'll keep on the lookout for that."

With nothing left to say the duo turned to leave but before they could Rivers called out to them for some final words.

"Please before you go, promise me that if things get out of hand and you have the chance to escape that you'll take it. I do not wish to be responsible for any more lost lives." He pleaded softly.

"We promise." They both agreed, causing the mayor to let out a quiet breath of relief.

"Thank you... and I wish you luck in this endeavor."

_If history was anything to go by they would need all the luck that they could get._

_..._

The pair left the office in silence, each lost in their own thoughts about the task set out before them. This was bigger than anything either of them had ever faced on their own but at the same time, it was also exactly what they both had been seeking when they'd left their respective homes.

A new experience, a new challenge to be faced and hopefully overcome.

"Any idea what this thing might be?" He asked his elven companion hoping that maybe her time in the surrounding forests might provide some clues.

"Just because I lived in the forest does not mean I've seen all it has to offer." She snarked rolling her eyes having easily caught onto his train of thought. "But no, this doesn't sound like anything I've seen before and I also find it hard to believe this is the work of any normal creature."

"Why's that?"

"Nothing as simple as a bear, or a pack of wolves could stop a settlement of humans. Least of all trained ones." She may not have been fond of them but she could acknowledge their talent for combat. "This feel's off to me."

"Do you think he's not telling us the whole story?" He asked with raised brow but she quickly shook her head.

"No its not that, he reminds me of you to be that kind of man... I believe he is as genuinely confused as we are now. I just mean it doesn't feel natural in the sense that I don't believe whatever this thing is, is native to the area." She clarified.

"I'll take that as a compliment." He deadpanned before growing serious once more. "Either way, we'll have to be on our toes the mayor said that this thing has taken down trained soldiers and passing adventures so it won't be easy for us to put down."

"That's _if _we can at all." She stressed. "There is no guarantee that we'll be able to do anything about this."

"We have to, it's our job after all and I don't plan on becoming some big beasties meal anytime soon." He laughed downplaying the danger with his usual confidence causing her to chuckle at his easy-going nature.

"That attitude is going to get you hurt someday you know." She pointed out but he waved her off.

"It has in the past but I'm still kicking so I think I'll be okay." He grinned cheekily making her sigh at his childlike behavior sometimes.

She shook her head but couldn't help finding his energy infectious, she still thought he was a bit foolish... but is there really anything wrong with that?

"Hehe, anyway let's head in and get some food we've been out all day and I'm honestly just looking forward to getting some sleep."

That made her pause. "Speaking of which... how exactly are we arranging that?" She asked once again very cognizant of their less than ideal sleeping arrangement. "Will I be sleeping on the floor or..." She trailed off.

"Eh, What do you mean? Aren't we just going to share the bed?" He asked curiously causing her to nearly trip over herself.

"The hell do you mean we're going to share a bed?!" She hissed loudly, she could practically feel steam shooting from her ears as the images she'd thought buried returned with a swift vengeance leaving her a bright scarlet.

"Is it that big a deal?" They had gotten a much bigger bed than he'd been expecting and it's not like either of them were particularly large so they could easily split it down the middle. It's not like they were strangers or anything so why was she making a big fuss over this?

"Of course it's a big deal! Don't you get it?!" She huffed as though the reasoning should have been completely obvious but he merely stared at her with an utterly lost expression on his face causing her to groan in a weird mixture of frustration, exasperation, embarrassment, and... slight anticipation

"Just... just shut up and let's get back to the inn..." She slouched causing him to shrug but walk along with her nonetheless.

He was still resolute in his assertion that women were naturally confusing.

_***Thump***_

"Why do you keep hitting me?!" He whined.

"Shut up and keep moving!" She growled.

It seems no matter the odds some things would just never change...

* * *

"I can't wear this!"

She looked at the skimpy nightgown that she'd been gifted with clear levels of distress. How could anyone wear this, It was practically see-through?! She groaned and barely held herself back from banging her head against the door. She couldn't let Naruto see her in this... scratch that he would do more than see her.

He would be sleeping with her in this... she would be laying in bed next to him in _this_!

"Maybe I can just sneak back outside and just sleep in a tree or something..." She muttered already regretting not double-checking her bags, she knew she should have returned the item but her own embarrassment had forced her to rush out of the store and now she was stuck with this!

"Ayelia? Are you almost done?" Naruto's voice called out from the other side of the door nearly making her shriek in fear as she rushed to stuff the gown back into the bag.

"Y-Yeah, one second!" She replied.

"No need to rush just checking." He called back and she could hear his footsteps fade off towards the opposite end of the room ensuring she was once again mostly safe.

She sighed in relief and after a moment pulled the hastily hidden gown back out from her bag. "It's his fault I have this so he can't say anything!" She tried to convince herself it wouldn't be that bad. "I mean it does feel nice and it's only for the night..."

Naruto looked up from his hands as the sound of the bathroom door opening and closing clicked softly in his ears. "What took you so...long..." He trailed off as his eyes widened and his cheeks suddenly burned a hot red.

If her new hunting outfit had alluded to her features before, then her nightwear outright flaunted them. A long semi-transparent sheet of light green cloth hugged her lithe body and left very little to the imagination exposing what seemed like miles of soft unblemished flesh underneath. He swore for brief moments he caught the quickest glimpses of her bra and panties before she shifted trying desperately to cover himself from his gaze.

"W-What the hell are you staring at?!" She huffed, her own face equally as red if not more so than his own.

"N-Nothing! I just didn't expect you to wear something like... that." He finished lamely trying his best not to stare but that was proving more difficult than it sounded. Dense or not he was still a healthy male and this wasn't exactly a walk in the park.

"I-I didn't pick this to be clear! Don't think I wanted to wear it!" She denied hotly. "It's just the most comfortable thing I have to sleep in right now so not a word out of you!" She demanded.

He nodded somewhat mutely and tried to distract himself by laying back down while she slowly made her way over and onto the bed that they would be sharing which suddenly seemed much smaller to him. He did his best to ignore the sudden shifting of weight that accompanied her presence and he struggled to ignore the soft touch of the fabric against his skin as she settled in beside him.

On her side, Ayelia wasn't faring much better. She'd assumed a lot of the blonds bulk had come from his armor and while that was partly true he was still much more built than she'd thought. Even though his plain white shirt she could make out well-defined muscles, broad and strong shoulders, and a wide solid back that dwarfed any she'd ever encountered among male elves.

A deviant part of her wanted to reach out and touch him but she quickly beat that side of her into submission and scrambled under the covers, shielding her exposed body and preserving a measure of her modesty and hiding the atomic blush that bloomed on her face as her back met his own in the middle.

_How was he so damn firm?! She screamed internally._

Thankfully it seemed one of the gods above took mercy on the two and it didn't take long for both of them to succumb to exhaustion, days of travel and fighting finally taking their toll on the two wandering warriors. They would need the rest after all...

They had a job to do tomorrow.

* * *

**AN. Chapter Complete!**

**So this chapter was a bit shorter, as I mentioned before not every chapter is going to be as long as the first two and since this wasn't an action chapter I feel comfortable cutting it here and picking back up later. As you can probably tell by the end of the chapter this will be continued in a part 2 where will discover just what is plaguing the forests of Bleakcrest...**

**So onto some of the other stuff regarding this chapter!**

**One thing that was very clear is the focus on showing off Ayelia a bit more this chapter and I wanted to show off another side to her that is counter to what we saw in the last chapter. Ayelia is a capable fighter and when it's time to do her job she is focused and single-minded but I also wanted to show that there is still a lot she doesn't know. Specifically in regards to feelings, culture, and romance with someone so different (in her mind) from herself.**

**For those who might feel this is a bit rushed for her, I will say I partly agree but that was kinda the nature of trials when compared to my other story. I don't mind long drawn out romances but at the same time, this is not really the story for that.**

**Speaking of which I know, no lemon this chapter either for pretty much the same reason as before but I assure you part 2 of this story will contain something for you guys so just be a hold on for a bit longer!**

**Anyway, before I go I do just want to say thank you all again for supporting the story! Your reviews have been very kind (and some very funny) and they have made writing this an absolute joy. I honestly haven't had this much fun writing in a while so from the bottom of my heart, thank you!**

**As always let me know your thoughts and feel free to PM with suggestions, questions, opinions, or corrections (I do all my editing alone so I know I miss some things). I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	5. Into the Unknown

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my ideas and characters, everything else belongs to their original creators!**

**Welcome back! I hope you are all excited for the next chapter! **

**I honestly feel a bit silly getting so invested in writing this story when its supposed to be a side thing but it just has been a lot of fun so I guess you all get to benefit while I sit in dread as "A Better Path" readers start breaking out the pitchforks and knives hehe… please help me….**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and as always I will see you down at the bottom of the chapter!**

* * *

Ayelia was not a morning person.

She never had been and she was certain she never would be. At heart, she was a night owl, a hunter who took no greater joy than moving under the pale glow of a moonlit night while stalking her target. There were few things she enjoyed more than moving through the shadows with her bow on her back and her arrows at the ready to take out an unsuspecting target.

But an early riser? No, that was not something she could claim to be.

So when she found herself trapped and unable to move she reluctantly bit the bullet and gradually began to force herself awake, bright green eyes cracking open slowly as she adjusted to the light filtering into the room, a tired yawn prying itself from her lips while she groaned in annoyance.

Seeing the familiar sight of the wooden walls and spartan furniture they'd rented the day prior she felt herself relax at the knowledge that she hadn't been kidnapped or anything, granted if she had she would at least give them some props for not waking her up _before _she started shooting them. She sighed and happily snuggled deeper against the warmth that was enveloping her, the rhythmic sound of quiet but deep breaths slowly lulling her back into the land of dreams...

...

_Hang on a moment._

Green eyes snapped open once more and synapses made dull by hours of rest began to fire rapidly as she tried and failed to make sense of the situation she'd found herself in. Despite being _very_ confident in the fact that she and Naruto had fallen asleep facing _away _from one another it seemed neither had succeeded in maintaining such a position while they slept.

She felt her ears practically burn as she realized she was currently rested flush against his chest, his deep rumbling breathing causing her head to gently rise and fall with every intake and exhale and now that she was paying attention the dull thud of his beating heart pounded like a drum in her ears. His large arm was wrapped securely around her waist pulling her closer against him which wasn't helped by her own arms having snaked their way across his chest at some point in the night.

Below she could feel their legs tangled up, her thigh resting precariously close to something long and har-

_No. No. No. No. Nope! Abort mission! _

She immediately shifted her leg slightly as she fought down the urge to scream outright lest she wake him up and she did not need that right now. Turning her attention back to less...problematic areas, she tried to slowly wiggle out of his grip carefully sliding her arm off him and moving her legs.

"Hnnn..."

She froze as she shifting caused him to stir slightly and she prayed to any god that would listen that he would remain asleep...

Her prayers were half answered.

He did, in fact, remain in blissful unconsciousness but rather than just settling back down he instead turned, placing their faces mere inches apart while his grip on her waist tightened and all her work was undone in seconds as they were squished even closer than before. She bit her lip as his hand came to rest uncomfortably close to her bottom and she was reminded they only thing keeping him from her bare flesh was a _flimsy _nightgown.

She wanted to die. She wanted to die and be buried as far down as any person could possibly be.

She stared into his sleeping face with a mixture of rage and utter embarrassment. This stupid, moronic, foolish, ignorant, annoying, dense, warm, generous, handsome... God damn it, no! She was supposed to be mad!

She huffed and searched his face for any sign of waking, the smallest twitch of his lips or anything that might have indicated he was awake... she found nothing.

"This is all your fault...I hate you..." She whispered half-heartedly still trying to wiggle herself free of his grasp but after some time she eventually gave up and relaxed in his hold, unable to resist the warmth he provided and sense of security she felt in his arms alongside her own remaining exhaustion.

She would still hit him for this later but... she supposed she wasn't _entirely _unhappy with this outcome either.

_**A Few Hours Later...**_

"You've been glaring at me all morning, I said I was sorry!" He sighed looking at the less than pleased elf sitting across from him shoving her breakfast angrily into her mouth. "I didn't mean to do it." He apologized.

"Just keep to your own side of the bed next time." She huffed quietly a hit of red still dusting her cheeks as she stabbed angrily at a piece of toast on her plate.

"I'll do better about that." He grinned sheepishly causing her to roll her eyes but she accepted his apology nonetheless seeing as he wasn't the only one at fault for their little morning mishap.

Not that she would ever admit her own guilt, not to him anyway.

"Moving on..." She said trying to change the subject before he could stop and think more on it. "How do you want to begin that job the mayor gave us? Are we just going to wander the forest or do you have some kind of plan?" She asked, curious to see if overnight he'd thought of anything that might help them.

"I think we might just have to go in blind, I doubt the townspeople know anything and Mayor Rivers probably wants to keep this whole thing kinda quiet anyway." He reasoned. "However we have two possible objectives so we might be able to get at least one done."

"Explain." She prompted him to speak further.

"The mayor asked us to do two things, find out what exactly has been causing the disappearances and if possible put an end to whatever it is." He reminded her. "My idea is that one of us will act as bait." He said gesturing to himself. "While the other hangs back hidden away and will lay eyes on whatever it is and then make a judgment call on where to go from there." He said laying out his idea.

"That's the plan?" She asked incredulously. "There are so many problems with that I'm not sure where to begin!" She scoffed earning a pout from the blond.

"Hey! It's the best I could come up with given what little we actually know..." He defended weakly. "Plus with your natural stealth, there is a better chance of you making it away if things go wrong." He argued.

"So you expect me to leave you to be captured and possibly killed to save myself?!" She hissed looking at him with hurt. "Did you not say we were partners? Was that just a lie?" She glared. Did he not trust her? Did he think so little of her that he would automatically assign her a position with so little commitment?

"No!" He tried to calm her down. "I didn't mean it like that! I just wanted to make the best of our skills. I'm nowhere near as good at stealth or moving through the forests as you are and we'll need every advantage we can get out there." He reasoned trying to convey that he there was no malicious intent in his decision.

She clicked her teeth at his explanation but calmed down somewhat as he presented his case, it did make sense but she still didn't like it. "I'm not going to leave you if this goes wrong." Her word was final it didn't matter what his plan was she wasn't going to just file a report and pretend nothing happened.

He sighed but nodded. "Fine... but you will still hang back and try and see just what we're dealing with." He was willing to compromise but it wouldn't help if they were both blindsided. "If something or someone is pulling the strings from behind the scenes then I'll need you to handle it while I'm busy."

"That is fair." She agreed before pausing slightly, a bashful expression gracing her features. "Also... I'm sorry for my outburst, I should have known you did not mean anything by it..." She apologized meekly embarrassed that she'd gotten so riled up at the thought that he might not have trusted her. She couldn't blame him if he didn't given how often she made her opinions of his people known.

"It's fine." He waved her off with a smile. "I should have realized how I sounded saying that so its partly my fault. I'll be more careful about that in the future." He promised happy to see things weren't going to be tense between them going into this.

The pair had quickly finished their meals and made their way out into the town, stocking up on some supplies before heading out to the western gate that would lead them into the section of forest Rivers had suggested they check out. Upon arriving the two could see signs of the previous expansion efforts the mayor had mentioned, tools and scaffolding were left strewn about beyond the wall while piles of bricks were left stacked and forgotten to the side. They could see the outlines of new homes and large swaths of land sectioned off for who knows what.

All of it was just left to sit abandoned.

"Well, he certainly wasn't lying." He commented, seeing the overrun state of the area only made him more eager to find what was causing the problem. "Guess we really better take care of this." He grinned.

"Just be careful." She warned him as they entered the overgrown section of the forest. "I don't want to end up having to drag you back to safety because you weren't taking this seriously."

He smirked at her quiet admittance that she cared about what happened to him and he nudged her. "I will now head up into the trees keep me in your sights but don't follow too closely."

She nodded and with practiced ease, she clambered up into the treetops, her small form disappearing into the trees within moments. The only sign of her presence was the slight rustling of leaves that were quickly silenced as she settled into the canopy.

One he was sure she had her footing he began to make his way forward alone, his hand resting along the hilt of his blade prepared to strike at any moment while above Ayelia kept her bow at the ready and her eyes peeled for the slightest hint of movement that wasn't their own.

The silence was deafening as they pushed further in which only reaffirmed there was something very wrong with this section of the forest. Where they should have been serenaded by the sound of singing birds and foraging critters was instead only an uncomfortable hush that seemed to strangle the life out of the emerald woodlands.

Something was definitely wrong here...

* * *

Deeper and deeper they carried on, the stark white walls of Bleakcrest had long since been left behind them but their resolve remained firm and unwavering. Even as the sun's light began to dim as the dense canopy grew thicker and higher leaving them only the smallest rays of light they continued. They'd had little to no luck finding any clues but they hadn't expected to find whatever this thing was so quickly either

Naruto frowned as his hair began to stand on end, the familiar sensation that he was being watched causing him to tense and grip the hilt of his blade tightly. He knew Ayelia was behind him but this was different... like he was surrounded...

Unknown to him, Ayelia was feeling a very similar sensation and her hands unconsciously reached back for one of her arrows, the thin sliver of wood sliding deftly between her fingers. She was born in the forests but the feeling she got being here... they nearly drove her mad. For the first time, she felt like prey rather than predator she'd been raised to be. She felt a twinge of irony at the role reversal but smothered it in favor of keeping watch over the blond, determined not to let anything happen to him on her watch.

So focused on her growing discomfort and her task she failed to see the foliage behind her begin to part slowly...

She sighed deeply while she moved, whispering quietly to herself. "I don't like this... Naruto, be careful-_mmph?!_" She never got the chance to scream as dark green tendrils wrapped around her mouth and throat silencing her as they slowly began to squeeze the life out of her. She tried to struggle but she found the rest of her limbs quickly being bound in the same wriggling mass of vines that seemed to have _literally _sprouted from the branch she was standing on.

She choked in silence as her vision began to grow dark, she tried in vain to scream, to shout, to move, to do anything! But her efforts were in vain. She watched with tears in her eyes as Naruto moved further and further away from her, unaware of her plight and the incoming danger.

_Naruto, help me... please come back!..._

Her pleas would go unanswered as her body slacked her thoughts blurring as her oxygen-deprived body began to shut down, conscious thoughts blurred with pain...

_Then she knew no more._

...

He paused.

He turned back for a moment, blue eyes scouring the greenery behind him for a few tense moments. Nothing seemed to be out of place but he had the nagging feeling that something had just gone terribly wrong...

He shook his head and pushed those feelings down and returned to his path, he couldn't afford to start doubting himself now and Ayelia had his back so he should at least have the decency to lead from the front.

_Squish!_

He jumped slightly as felt his foot sinking into the ground prompting him to quickly step back. He frowned as he inspects his boot, a viscous green jelly-like substance clung to his soles and dripped onto the ground, he could see a hidden away out of sight under the foliage was a large puddle of a similar substance.

Kneeling down before it he inspected the strange slime with a nearby stick, dipping the piece of wood into the puddle, he watched as the goo stretched and tore as he pulled. Taking a quick sniff of the stuff he was surprised to find it actually had a very sweet smell to it that reminded him almost of honey.

He had to fight down the sudden urge to taste it. Whatever this was it very clearly _wasn't _honey and he wasn't about to risk ingesting the stuff while out and about.

"This must be what Mayor Rivers was talking about..." He scanned the forest around him looking for any more pools of the stuff. "But what's making it and what does it do?"

_Snap!_

He drew his blade immediately as the sound of a twig snapping underfoot drew his attention, the noise had been too close to be Ayelia...

"Hello?" He called, perhaps playing the role of a lost traveler might coax whatever it was out of hiding. "Is anyone there? I could use some help."

He waited for a few seconds and wasn't disappointed when the sounds of rustling leaves suddenly echoed through the forest, it was as if the trees had suddenly burst to life around him, branches swayed furiously in an unseen breezed and tree trunks bent and groaned as though they were seconds from just toppling over. Panic gripped him at the violent response, what the hell was going on?!

"Ayelia! Get out of the trees!" He shouted. "Forget the plan just get down!" He roared as the shaking grew in intensity.

He waited but there was no sign of his partner and he felt a pit form in his stomach as he began rushing back the way he'd come hoping for any sign of the elven archer, any sign that she was unharmed. He pushed past the shrubs and bushes as he ran back.

_Crack!_

His eyes widened he came to a halt, under his boot was a snapped arrow one that had not been there previously...

"Ayelia..." He whispered and narrowed his eyes. "Whatever the hell you are come out and face me!" He shouted no longer concerned with keeping a low profile. "Come on! I'm right here!"

The earth below him rumbled and cracked as three massive tendrils burst from the earth each writhing with unnatural movements as they trashed and swayed before they shot towards him much faster than their size would suggest.

He snarled and charged them head-on. Leaping into the air he allowed the first to sail by underneath him before cutting through the second with a shout of raw fury, the dark green mass falling to the earth with a loud thud.

"_Gahh!_" He was knocked back when the third tendril rammed directly into his side sending him flying back into one of the nearby trees, his back colliding harshly with the sturdy trunk and knocking the air from his lungs.

He was given no reprieve as the tendril he thought defeated merely grew back with little to no sign that it had ever been cut in the first place. He winced as it wrapped tightly around his legs and then proceeded to drag him along the forest floor. He quickly stabbed his blade into the earth and clung to it for dear life, hoping to slow if not outright stop his momentum.

His plan seemed to work and for a few precious seconds, he began to slow down, his blade managed to hold him in place as it cleaved slowly through the soil. He strained to maintain his hold on the hilt even as his bones began to pop and creak at the strain, he felt like he was being torn apart!

Something had to give... and eventually, something would.

Try as he might, he couldn't hold on, his fingers ached and his legs screamed in protest as the pressure began to build. He groaned as the last of his strength gave out in one last pull to free himself before he was forced to let go of his sword and he was pulled into the underbrush with a single shout of panic that was swallowed by the dense lines of trees.

In silence, the clearing practically mended itself behind him and soon enough there was no sign that anything had ever occurred there... nothing but a single sword stabbed into the earth...

* * *

...

"Ughhh... what happened?" Ayelia coughed slightly as she was ripped from unconsciousness and thrust back into the present, her body felt numb but oddly there was no more pain... truthfully, she felt better than she'd felt in a long time. But how could that be? Memories of her slow suffocation danced grimly at the forefront of her mind yet she felt oddly at ease...

"Oh good, you are awake." A soft, almost motherly voice called out to her and she felt gentle hands caress her form as though she was being held a touching embrace.

She felt as though she should be struggling, screaming and kicking... but she did none of those things, and instead simply allowed herself to be held and soothed by this mysterious figure, an unfamiliar but not at all unpleasant warmth spreading through her burning away any aches and pains.

"Please forgive my rude welcome but it is much easier this way." The voice apologized. She could feel fingers running through her white locks and she unconsciously leaned into the touch with a quiet sigh of contentment.

"Who are you?..." She asked even as her eyes began to drift shut yet again.

"That's quite a question... are you sure you want to know?" The voice paused and Ayelia briefly caught sight of lidded pink eyes looking down upon her with amusement before her vision went dark once more. "But then again I suppose there is no harm in telling you... given the circumstance perhaps it will bring you some comfort."

She felt a warm breath upon her ears, words faint but so very clear began to funnel into her mind. "My name is..." She strained to hear the rest but she was so very tired, she wouldn't get her answer as she faded out once more, adrift in the sea of dreams that swam in the dark..

"Such a shame... I had hoped she'd hear me... I guess it doesn't matter in the end." The voice hummed as thick vines began to cocoon the now unconscious elf, twisting and wrapping around her like a net and hauling her into the trees. Mere moments later the vines began to pulse and ooze faintly, a thick slimy substance dripping from the bottom of the makeshift chamber. "She'll end up like the rest anyway so I guess it doesn't matter." Pink eyes wandered over many similarly formed cocoons, each filled with mere husks of creatures that at one point may have resembled people but were now gnarled and twisted...

They looked at through the life had been sucked out of them.

"I'm sorry, did you wish to speak with her?"

Naruto glared down at her from his restrained position, vines held him tightly in place leaving him to hang down from the branches of a nearby tree. Unlike the rest he had not been cocooned but instead, he'd been silenced, thick vines wrapped securely around his mouth to prevent him from speaking.

The cause of his current predicament?

The woman standing before him, meeting his expression of anger with one of bemusement. She was the strangest creature he'd ever laid eyes upon and if she wasn't currently in the process of holding him hostage and possibly digesting his friend he might have admitted she was beautiful even with her oddities.

She was green from head to toe, not dressed in green mind you, but her skin was _literally _a light shade of lime green, her hair was of a similar color but was a few shades darker falling down to around mid-back in length and her face was framed by two bangs. She had soft facial features with a small sharp nose and pouty lips drawn out into a soft smile, bright pink eyes that contrasted against her skin and long pointed ears similar to Ayelia that jutted out at an angle.

She was more than just a pretty face too and he had to fight the blush that wanted to rise to his cheeks as he beheld her form. Large full breasts that jiggled and bounced hypnotically with her every move graced her chest. She wasn't just blessed in the chest department however and he was caught in the sway of her wide hips and large doughy ass that wiggled enticingly with sensual energy. Long thick thighs squeezed and rubbed together, clapping slightly as the brushed past one another while she walked.

And to top it all off she stood before him almost completely naked, the only semblance of clothing were a pair of dark green armbands that coiled around her forearms and a large pink flower that sat atop her head at an angle. Beyond that, she bared herself completely to him with little regard to modesty.

He was thankfully distracted by the sensation of the vines silencing him slithering away, leaving him free to speak his mind and hopefully get some answers.

"Who are you exactly?" He asked immediately not bothering to waste time on the off chance she silenced him again. He was worried about Ayelia for sure but he needed answers as well.

"I take it you want a name?" She asked sauntering up to him with a smile inspecting him just as he had inspected her, pink eyes running appreciatively over him in a way that would have left him shivering if he could. "I suppose it's only fair someone hears it." She mused, reaching up and placing a soft hand upon his cheek, running her thumb over the odd markings adorning them.

"My name is Venus~" She introduced with a mock bow, giggling softly as the blond averted his eyes from her body as she did so. "Would you give me the pleasure of knowing yours?~" She cooed softly.

"N-Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki." He answered cursing himself for being so easily influenced by her lack of dress but there was only so much he could ignore and this didn't really count!

"Naruto..." She nearly purred the name aloud. "I like that name, a strong name~" She praised running her hands over his captive body, his armor long since having been peeled away leaving him in only in a shirt and a pair of boxers he usually wore underneath his armor. "Is there anything else you'd like to know?~"

"What are you and why are you doing this." He asked gesturing to the cocoons surround them, in particular, the one that now held Ayelia captive. "Why harm the people of Bleakcrest?" He questioned.

"So many questions..." She sighed and he shivered as one of hers dipped under his shirt and soft fingers ran themselves over his stomach. "What I am... I'm not entirely sure..." She answered truthfully earning a surprised look from him. "I was once a simple Alraune, do you know what that is?"

"Never heard of them." He admitted, earning a soft hum from her.

"It is not surprising, we tend to live deep within forests unseen by most except those who would venture deep into our territories." She informed not at all taken aback but his lack of knowledge. It wasn't something the average traveler could be expected to know much less even face.

"But you said 'once' so are you not one anymore?" He asked and she smiled seeing that he wasn't too distracted by her to keep his head on straight. She found it admirable given his position.

"It's nice that you listen, to imagine an Alraune just look upon me now." She grasped his head and forced him to drink deep of her image much to his embarrassment. "But imagine instead of legs would large flower in their place, rooted to the ground as all flowers are." She described giving him a pretty clear picture of how she was different seeing as she was mobile as compared to her counterparts.

"So what happened?" He asked. "How did you change?"

She tapped his nose with her free hand while her other moved up towards his chest. "That's a personal question my dear, one that I'm afraid I won't be answering for you~" She teased causing him to frown slightly.

"Fine, but what about my other questions?" He pushed returning to his original intentions of finding out just what she had done to all these people and hopefully figuring out her motives.

"The why? That's simple, I do what I must to survive." She said honestly, pulling his body closer to hers allowing her chest to press against his own. "As an Alraune, I was once able to survive off of taking in sunlight and nutrition through the ground. However, after my change..." She gestured to her body. "I found myself unable to do so which of course presented a problem for me."

She sighed wistfully as if remembering simpler times. "I discovered that while I had lost the ability to draw sustenance from the earth and sun, I had gained the ability to take it from living creatures." She put a palm up to his face and he could see the green slime that filled the cocoons dripping from her hands.

"Alraune can make a type of nectar that allows us to draw creatures in but ordinarily it is only good for consumption." She admitted and demonstrated such a talent, he watched in fascination as the once green liquid turned a bright gold in her hand and he was assaulted again by a strong aroma of honey. "I learned this new nectar could drain the vitality of those left in it and in turn, I could consume it."

The pieces began to fall into place, she could use the cocoons to hold larger prey, prey like people who would then be slowly drained for her consumption.

"Like living cattle..." He whispered and she nodded. "But why people, why not the native animals?"

"Cruel as it may be, humans just have stronger vitality." She admitted. "They hold on longer and in turn, I can use them longer." She appeared somewhat guilty at this admittance. "I do not wish for them to suffer so I do my best to ease the process where I can." She said referring to the ways in which she calmed her victims and put them into a trance-like sleep where they could fade away in relative peace.

"You're still killing them." He argued.

"Just as your people would kill a wild hog to survive." She countered. "I do what I must and I don't wish to waste a single meal. In turn, I have blessed the people of Bleakcrest with bountiful harvests but in recent months they have grown cautious sent me fewer meals." She frowned.

"Maybe because everyone they send hasn't come back." He pointed out. "Maybe you could have come to some kind of arrangement with the town instead of just kidnapping and feeding upon its people."

"Perhaps... but I could not risk taking the chance they would not just attack me on sight, this way was in my best interest." She affirmed. "Given my actions, the odds of such a meeting being pleasant is not a guarantee."

He looked between her and the pod that housed Ayelia, he wanted to be furious but at the same time, he could understand her concerns. She was doing what she could to make the best of the situation she found herself in...

"What if... what if we could set up a meeting between you and the leader of Bleakcrest?" He offered, causing her to raise an eyebrow in interest. "You two have been benefitting one another for a while anyway, even if they don't know about it, so perhaps you could come to a better solution that won't cost any more lives."

She paused, her features tightening as she considered his offer.

"How would I trust you'll keep your end of the bargain?" She asked running her hands over him once more, but her eyes lacked the playfulness her actions suggested. "You want me to let you go and then allow myself to wander into potentially hostile territory?"

"Then I'll make you a deal, free my partner and take me in her place." He declared. "Have her relay my offer as a sign that this isn't just an attempt to bargain my freedom, you can meet at the edge of town where the forest meets the city wall so you can escape if need be."

She stared at him for a few moments, pink eyes searching blue for the smallest hint of deception or any plans of betrayal...

Naruto watched with relief as Ayelia's pod opened slowly, the consuming slime draining out and spilling onto the earth below as the damp but very much alive elf was carefully escorted back to the ground by a pair of vines that supported her limp body laying her flat against the ground.

"A meal for a life, I will trust your words but now your fate rests in her hands. I hope you have chosen her wisely." Venus warned him pulling the unconscious girl towards the two of them and placing her hands upon her temples.

_Gasp!_

Ayelia's chest heaved as she sputtered back into consciousness, her emerald eyes flashing back and forth as she tried to take stock of the situation bits and pieces of memory assaulting her as she came to.

"Ayelia, calm down!" He called, happy to see that she was okay but he needed her to focus. "You're okay, just relax and breathe." He tried to sooth her but still being tied up hampered his efforts somewhat

Hearing his voice settled her slightly and she took a moment to center herself, taking in deep breaths of air that settled her burning lungs. "I-I'm okay but what's going on?! I was attacked but I couldn't call you and there was a voice and..." She rambled on just trying to make sense of everything that occurred.

"It's okay, everything is going to be fine. I just need you to listen to me." He pleaded, quickly grabbing her attention before she could completely break down.

Ayeila nodded slowly, her eyes shifting from the encased blond and the mysterious green woman pressing herself all over him...

_Wait, who the hell was she?! What the hell had she missed?!_

"Naruto, explain." She hissed, her gaze locked with this new arrival who seemed to be highly amused by the venomous look being sent her way. "Who is she and what on earth is going on?"

He sighed. "This is Venus." He introduced and the female in question offered her a small wave while simultaneously burying the blond's head between her exposed breasts causing Ayelia to growl lowly. "She's the one responsible for the disappearances but we might be able to put an end to that."

"How exactly?" To her, it looked like they were both trapped… and why the hell was she being so damn handsy with him?!

"She's willing to work something out with the Mayor but the arrangement needs to be made. I need you to head back to town and set up the meeting." He informed causing her to frown.

"Why can't you set it up?" She questioned but before he could respond Venus took it upon herself to answer on his behalf.

"Because little elf, he'll be here accompanying me as insurance." She supplied running her hands over his face with a giggle. "So you'll be going in his place."

Ayelia fought down the urge to snarl at the green temptress and instead turned to him. "Is she being serious? Better question, are _you _being serious?!" She shouted. "You expect me to leave you with _her_? What was the one thing I told you before we left?!"

"That you wouldn't leave me behind, I know and I am really happy about that but if you don't then _neither_ of us is leaving here!" He really didn't want to do this to her but there wasn't an alternative. "You trusted me before so trust me now!"

"It's not you I don't trust, it's her!" She hissed glaring once more at their captor. "How do you know she won't just kill you while I'm gone?"

"I don't know that but sometimes you just have to have faith, that's what this whole thing is about." He answered honestly. "So just take my word for it, she won't harm me unless we don't fulfill our end of the deal."

Ayelia was silent for a time, she hated this... she hated this mission, she hated that town, she hated this green-haired harlot that was holding _her _partner, and most of all she hated him for dragging her into this and making her worried about his safety the stupid idiot!...

"Fine." She relented. "When and where do you want me to tell the mayor to meet with you?" She growled.

Venus smiled. "It will take you the rest of the day to make it back so tomorrow morning at let's say... five hours past dawn at the border of the town and the forest." She relayed. That would be at around ten am, meaning she would have the blond for the rest of the day and all throughout the night...

"Fine... but if you harm him I will find you and nothing is going to stop me from cutting you to pieces." She warned as she was unceremoniously dropped back onto the ground, the vines holding her retreating back into the trees as though they'd never been there to begin with.

"Noted." Venus chuckled not at all concerned with the threat. "Just go that way and by nightfall, you should make back to your little settlement maybe even earlier if you're quick about it." She directed with a gentle laugh pointing Ayelia back towards Bleakcrest.

The elf clicked her teeth and gave the blond a parting look before taking off at full speed vanishing quickly into the brush and leaving the two alone.

* * *

"Well, she is certainly something~" Venus laughed crossing her arms under her bust as she used her connection with nature to sense the snow haired elf's departure. "I can see why you keep her around." She chuckled,

"She can be a handful but I trust her with my life." He affirmed with a grin much more relaxed now that some form of an agreement had been made. "She's a good partner, I couldn't ask for someone better."

"So it seems..." She turned to face him. "I'm sure she's quite a wild one at night too, you are a lucky boy~" She teased making him stutter at the insinuation.

"W-We're not like that! I just mean a good traveling partner!" He quickly corrected causing her to raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"You mean you two aren't a pair?" She questioned curiously. "I was so sure..." She muttered, the little elf had moaned his name quite a bit in her sleep and seeing the level of trust the blond placed in her she naturally assumed the two were an item...

So the girl hadn't confessed, more than likely she was confused given the lack of interaction Wood Elves had with outsiders... Oh, that was just too precious! It almost made her feel bad for what she was about to do~

_Almost~_

_**-Lemon-**_

Naruto flinched as his current captor made her way back over to him with a hungry look in her lidded pink gaze. Around him the vines holding him up loosened slightly no longer confining him near as tightly as before but still keeping a firm hold on his wrists and ankles keeping him spread out on display.

"Well now, I suppose I'm in quite a conundrum. I can't drain you until tomorrow so that begs the question... just what am I going to do with you?~" She asked with faux confusion as she once again pressed her naked body against his thinly clothed form. She could feel him tensing as her breasts flattened against his chest and she giggled at the bright crimson flush he now sported as their faces rested mere inches apart from one another.

She had to admit he was quite cute. She found those little marks upon his face utterly adorable~

"Y-You could tell me more about yourself?" He offered, doing his best to ignore the sensation of her bountiful breasts pushing up against him and her warm breath upon his face.

"I could do that do that." She acknowledged with a gentle nod but gave him a saucy grin moments later. "Or... I could 'drain you' in a different way~" She suggested giggling madly and before he could try and mount any form of defensive or deflection, he found her lips mashed firmly against his own while her hands returned to their prior position beneath his shirt.

He groaned involuntarily as her wet tongue forced itself into his mouth and he was overwhelmed by the sweet sugary taste of her saliva mixing in with his own as she engaged him in a passionate and hungry exchange of tongues. He felt a sudden warmth flood him and his shock began to morph into something else...

_Something far more lustful._

Venus moaned into his lips as she felt him respond to her impromptu kiss, where once his tongue had remained still and defensive, it was now active and aggressive! She felt her knees grow weak and her lips, both sets, moisten slightly as he began to bully her own tongue into submission, prodding it back into mouth before launching an invasion of his own into her oral cavity. She could feel him tasting her as though he sought to swallow her whole and she gave herself to him drawing him deeper into her.

She shuddered as the need for air forced them to separate and she couldn't help but find herself incredibly turned on at the sight of the breathless and flush male within her grasp. Her eyes drifted south and she licked her lips as a certain part of his anatomy made its presence known to her, straining against the confines of his undergarments. She placed a palm again his cheek and left chaste kisses along his jaw while he panted as the heat grew worse with every passing moment.

"I likely forgot to mention that Alraune nectar acts as an aphrodisiac when ingested~" She smirked and lowered her face to nibble and suck at his neck while she ran her hands along his chest. "It's also naturally mixed into my saliva~" She cooed softly before composing herself and taking a step back.

She commanded two more vines to strip him, she grew tired of his clothing interfering with her fun and within moments the blond warrior was left just as nude as she herself was, his body left to dangle helplessly in the air before her.

She hummed at the sight of his now pulsing member standing at attention, made all the more prominent by his spread position. "Poor dear, you must be aching by this point..." She brought him closer to her but held him just inches shy of allowing their nude bodies to meet. "I wonder? When was the last time you let loose? It can't have been recently with that little elf around, no doubt she'd practically die of embarrassment if you whipped this out anywhere near her~" She teased giving the rod a gentle squeeze. She shivered at how hot he was within her palm but she managed to hold back for now.

She would get what she wanted in time.

She released him and swiftly summoned a new set of vines to create a verdant throne for her to sit and she quickly sat herself upon it, legs spread wide to give him a clear view of her glistening honeypot that dripped with arousal and anticipation. "I'm curious if you see her the same way I think she sees you~"

She ran her hands over her body, one delicate hand clasped tightly around her breast groping the orb of dense tit-flesh, while the other made its way further south. Long fingers teasing and pressing softly against puffy lower lips, she let out unrestrained moans as she pleasured herself before him without shame. The soft squelch of her fingers sliding in and out of her sopping cunny echoing through the clearing.

She smiled through her moans as mere inches away from her drooling twat his member trashed and twitched, beckoned by the heat of her aroused sex. His eyes transfixed upon her as she played with her body for his enjoyment. He watched with unbidden lust as her face cycled through emotions, her lips held clenched between her teeth, her eyes rolling in their sockets and her toes curling and uncurling as her body was wracked with intense pleasure.

"I-I've been a terrible hostess..." She panted as even she wasn't immune to the pleasures of the flesh. "Why should I be the only having fun~" She took a hand off of her breast and commanded yet another tendril to join in. She hissed as the long wriggling plant slipped and ground itself against her wet slit coating itself in her juices before with a simple command it coiled itself around his member.

He moaned as the vine fit itself snuggled around him, slicked heavily with her own liquid arousal it pumped and squeezed him, lathering him in attention while its master returned to her self-ministration.

"That's much better!" She purred as she treated herself to a show. "It's much better when both parties can enjoy themselves~" She gave him a naughty smile as she fed another finger to her hungry twat. The pair's moans filled the air as fingers and vines worked to bring their respective users to edge. Faster and faster they pumped as the two lost themselves in the moment.

"Oooooh!" Venus lets out a loud groan as her first orgasm rocked through her, fighting the urge to shut her eyes in pleasure she instead kept the blond in her sights as her cunt spasmed and squirted coating his hips in her release. The sight was enough to push the blond over the edge as well and she watched with lustful fascination as his cock twitched violently within its confines.

But before he could find a similar release she quickly commanded the vine holding him to constrict tightly, cutting off his impending eruption. He hissed in a mixture of sexual agony and frustration as he glared into her slightly apologetic eyes.

"I'm sorry, I know how terrible it can be to cut oneself off like that." She stood up and whisked him into a brief kiss. "However, a load like that shouldn't be wasted on some throwaway vine~"

She backed up and he watched as she turned her back to him, groaning slightly as she wiggled her plump ass against his still engorged member, sandwiching it between her pert cheeks for a few moments before laying herself down upon the earth.

"I think here would be a much better place to lay your seed~" She cooed, raising her ass into the air while spreading her still quivering nether lips wide open with her fingers.

"Don't you agree?~"

He felt the vines holding him up slowly release him, finally allowing him to move of his own volition. A small part of him recognized that if he wanted too he could run, maybe even make it back to town if he pushed himself. But right now he just wanted to quell the heat that burned in his loins and looking at the bountiful booty beckoning him forward he knew just how to do it...

_Smack!_

Venus practically wailed in pleasure at the sudden stinging sensation that rippled through her rear, the surge of pain causing her to tremble slightly. Behind her, Naruto watched with fascination as the bright green flesh warped slightly at the impact before returning to its full shape. He grinned and let loose another loud smack and just as before she wailed beneath him, her cunny seemly growing wetter as he abused her ass.

"No more teasing." He growled, lining up his spear with her waiting twat and taking hold of her hips.

"No more teasing~" She shivered in delight as she felt the crown of his cock pushing into her slick folds. "Just use me to have your fill~" She moaned too fully absorbed into her own pleasure to remember that she was supposed to be in charge.

"Fuck!/Yes!" The two moaned in unison as the blond bottomed out into her. Taking a moment to adjust to one another each had to take a second to gather themselves. Venus mewled in contentment as she basked in the sensation of his cock buried to the hilt of her cunt, her velvety walls gripping and squeezing the burning hot rod that had made its way into her most sacred place. She could feel him pulsing within her, expanding ever so slightly as he pushed back against the crushing pressure of her pussy.

Meanwhile, Naruto winced slightly at just how tight she was! Her cunt holding firmly onto him for dear life as it tried to milk him for all he was worth. He nearly came right then and there just at the sensation alone but some measure of bullheadedness held him back.

_He could cum when she was a broken mess!_

She whined needily as he slowly drew himself out of her hungry snatch, her body already growing annoyed at the lack of fulfillment. Before she could vocalize this need though she shrieked as he rammed himself back into her without mercy, the loud wet squelch of her cunt being punched by his cock ringing in her ears.

"Oh fuck me!" She wailed gasping as the air was knocked out of her lungs.

"I intend to!" He grunted, and he slammed into her again taking great satisfaction in the clap of her ass slapping against his hips. In no time he was plunging in and out of her depths rapidly, rutting her like some kind of beast. She moaned loudly as her bare breasts were forced deep into the earth while her body quaked and flexed under his assault, her fingers stabbed into the dirt beneath her as he pummeled her needy twat mercilessly!

Gone was the almost motherly queen of the forest for she had been replaced by a squealing mess of a woman too caught up in the feeling of being used as an outlet for his pent of lust. Her thoughts centered only around the waves of erotic pleasures being pounded into her through her womb. Her mind melted as her insides were violated repeatedly and she loved every moment of it!

"Fuck me harder! Don't you dare slow down!" She wailed wantonly as his hips became a blur smacking against her ass while he hilted and unhilted himself between her now drenched thighs. "Fuck me! Own me!" She cried barely coherent as he readjusted her insides to better suit him. "Break me!" She shouted to the heavens as she was _literally _fucked into the ground.

Spurred on by his own desire and her sudden submissiveness he gave her what she wanted!

She blinked as she was swiftly rolled over, her breasts no longer pressed against the earth but not free to face the sky above. She didn't have long to process her new position as she was suddenly overtaken by the now familiar feeling of his cock splitting her open once more. Her tongue lolled out of her mouth as he _somehow _managed to punch deeper into her! The tip of his dick kissing the entrance to her womb felt like electricity running down her spine and she came immediately with a cry of ecstasy.

"_OHHHH GODS!_" She cried and on either side of him, her legs flexed and spasmed as coated his hips in a new wave of lady cum. The smacking of their rutting hips grew louder with the new round of lubrication, a slick squelching rung out through the clearing as their bodies repeatedly smashed together in a chorus of flesh and primal passion.

He grunted as she tightened suddenly around him but carried on without pause. His eyes drifted to her bouncing breasts, and her stiff dark green nipples that practically called to him and without warning he leaned forward and took one of the stiff rods into his mouth, his lips creating a vacuum-tight seal around the nub as he suckled her. She mewled in approval at the new sensation even as her senses were overrun with pleasure.

She could do little more than lie down and take it as he used her body to his liking, her arms unconsciously wrapping around his head as he sucked at her teats driving him deeper into mountains of flesh while he drove himself deeper into her depths.

Everything felt numb but fantastic at the same time... she barely registered the world around her but the feelings pulsing through her nethers were crystal clear. She could feel his mighty member twitching furiously as it scraped, bumped, beat and ground against her inner walls and with all the remaining strength she had she hooked her legs around his waist, locking him in place as he punished her twat. She knew what was coming and she'd be damned if even in this state she allowed him to finish anywhere but inside of her!

"Inside!" She shouted. "Fill me up until I can't hold anymore!" She screamed pulling him closer to her as his thrusting grew more desperate.

In no position to decline or do otherwise, the blond moaned loudly between the confines of her breasts and Venus wailed in turn as rope after rope of boiling hot spunk caked her insides, her cunt spasming as he filled her with his batter. His thrusting never stopped even as unloaded shot after shot inside of her, sending their combined releases shooting out onto the grass below while he displaced the cum now sloshing around inside her.

She moaned and brought him into a deep kiss as he slowed his pace for the first time since he'd entered her. She hadn't felt this good in...ever?

_**-Lemon End!-**_

The pair huffed as they slowly came down from their frenzy, the blond collapsing on top of her as they fought to calm their labored breathing.

"Maybe I should just keep you..." She panted as she tried to center herself from the pounding she'd just experienced. "I'm not sure the extra security and peace is worth giving that up."

He wanted to laugh but his own exhaustion kept him from doing so. "No take backs." He joked weakly making her sigh and curse not trying him before making the deal.

"Tsk..." She huffed. "Well, there is still plenty of time to make you reconsider~" She whispered softly into his ear as he found himself being straddled by the green woman again. "After all..."

"You're mine until the sun comes up~" She purred lowering herself back onto him. "So I hope you are ready to become very well acquainted with me~"

He deadpanned as she quickly evolved him once more... maybe he really should have just stayed in Redpoint?...

Moans and grunts would be heard throughout the rest of the day and long into the night.

* * *

**AN. Chapter Complete!**

**So that was something wasn't it, hope you enjoyed that lol.**

**Anyway, as always I have some stuff to say and clarify regarding this chapter and the story as a whole so bear with me for just a bit before you move onto whatever else you do when you aren't reading this!**

**Number one, Venus.**

**So yes, Venus is based off of an Alraune but I have obviously taken some liberties with her in order to better suit my needs. If you don't know what an Alraune is you can look it up on the Monster Girl Encyclopedia Wiki since I based her off that. Naturally, I have added my own traits and modifications to her but the general idea is the same.**

**I bring this up because I will do this as I see fit throughout the story but I also want to assure people that I won't just ignore/change key aspects of every Monster Girl. For example, I won't give a Lamia legs because that takes much more away from them than it does for something like an Alraune. I just want to make that clear before someone tries to crucify me for the change.**

**Someone probably still will tho…**

**I also wanted to fulfill a promise I made in Trials of Paradise where I said I wanted non-human girls to lean more into the monster parts of their design rather than being palette-swapped humans. Truthfully Akka and Mochi could have just been swapped from Amazonians or something and there would have been functionally no differences. I want to keep that from happening here or at the very least minimize it.**

**Anywho moving onto number two, Will Venus be joining Naruto and Ayelia?**

**Nope.**

**I wanted to be clear that not every character Naruto has… "relations" with will join him and Venus won't be packing her things and heading off with him. I plan to have at least two more and at most three more characters become mainstays and Venus is just not one of them. If you liked her that's cool and I'm debating on having her become a recurring character depending on the response to her (if people like her or not) but regardless of that she won't be traveling with him.**

**Three, You made it sound like this would be done in two parts?**

**I know, I wanted to finish this up in two chapters but then the lemon got really long and I just ended up saying screw it! So the Bleakcrest chapters should (hopefully) finish up in the next chapter!**

**Four, the lemon.**

**I know many people read this for other reasons and not just the smut bits but there are also people who do enjoy the smut so when I do put them in I try to make them worth the wait. If you don't enjoy them that's fine but I was also very upfront about their presence in this story so I'm sorry if you feel the need to skip them and aren't satisfied with the ending or part of a chapter being taken up by them.**

**For those of you were instead waiting for a lemon between Naruto and Tsundere elf well you'll have to wait a bit longer! Or maybe you'll get it next chapter, who knows?!**

**I'm being serious, I honestly don't know :P**

**Anyway that's all from me this time, as of writing this my birthday will be coming up in a few hours (August 19th) so I won't be able to work on the next chapter for a bit but you can bet your sweet bippy I will get back to this as soon as possible!**

**If anyone wants to send me a nice Monster Girl GF as a present please don't hesitate! **

**Take care everyone and I'll see you all again soon!**


	6. The Resolution

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my ideas and characters, everything else belongs to their original creators!**

**Welcome back! We are finally going to wrap up Bleakcrest here so I hope you are excited for that. As a note, I ask that you make sure to read through the notes at the bottom of this chapter because I tried to answer some of the recurring questions I get about the story and some stuff I am thinking about doing to balance out characters going forward!**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and as always I will see you down at the bottom of the chapter!**

* * *

"You are aware that I'm not actually asleep right now, right? Also, you're not even being that discrete..." He deadpanned as he slowly opened his eyes, blue orbs coming to rest lazily upon the emerald skinned woman that was still holding him captive and had kept him quite busy throughout the night.

The female in question merely giggled softly at his discomfort while she laid herself against his chest, the now familiar warm and spongy sensation of her bare breasts mushrooming against his own still naked body while above delicate fingers fiddled idly with his hair, once shaggy and untamed locks were now tied in tight yet elegant braids for her amusement.

"Forgive me, I assumed you'd be less than active this morning given yesterday's... excitement." She paused to find a suitable word to describe the frenzied rutting the pair had engaged in well into the night and the early hours of the morning. She was still feeling the consequences of such an action but she had absolutely _no _regrets.

"Besides, I should take advantage of all the time we have left, unless your little gamble doesn't pay off and I get to keep you~" She hummed returning to her task of messing with his hair causing him to sight in exasperation.

"Can you please just fix my hair? We have a meeting in a few hours you know?" He pointed out trying vainly to keep her hands away from his head and undo her earlier work which was easier said than done when she could literally strap him to the floor below. A tactic she employed a few times already.

She huffed in faux annoyance, puffing out her green cheeks in protest at his request. "Must we..." She nuzzled against him and despite having become very _intimately _knowledgeable with her body over the course of the past few hours he still found himself blushing as she writhed against him. "I can think of other things we can do in the meantime..." She whispered lowly, blowing softly into his ear with a seductive purr.

He shivered slightly at her tone but through a combination of iron will and utter exhaustion managed to restrain himself from humoring her cravings. "A deals a deal." He argued turning his head slightly as to avoid looking at her pouty expression of dissatisfaction.

_It wasn't right that a sexual deviant could also look so damn cute!_

She sighed and idly traced small circles upon his chest, her delicate fingers running over him with the utmost care even while he denied her. A part of her was tempted to genuinely capture and keep him, who could really stop her after all? But she was nothing if not honest both in her words and in her actions... that and having mulled it over during their short rest she was slightly curious what it would be like to mingle among his kind.

She doubted she'd find another like him though...

"You went quiet, what are you thinking about?" He asked quietly breaking her from her mental reprieve as she glanced up at him with a slight smile.

"Curious now are we?" She chuckled and snuggled against him more. "I'd tell you but after you just turned me down, I don't think you really deserve to know... perhaps if you reconsider~" She teased lightly, gently sawing her plush thighs uncomfortably close to a certain part of his anatomy, relishing in his expression of discomfort and slight arousal.

She would fully admit that he'd utterly dominated her last night, that much was true. However, when it came to seduction he was hopelessly outclassed~

"T-There is no time for that, we'll already be late as it is!" He protested.

"I have ways to handle that." She dismissed pushing herself up so that was now comfortably straddling the muscled warrior beneath her with a wry grin. "Would you like to try a different excuse?~" She cooed grinding herself ever so slightly against him.

He had to hold back a hiss at the felling of doughy flesh enveloping his lower half as she slid back and forth, the sensation of her rippling rear pushing up against him while he fought to avoid the hypnotizing sight of her swaying breasts situated above him.

Lidded pink eyes practically shined with erotic intent as she focused her ministrations. She would keep her word and attend the meeting, but no one said she couldn't have a last bit of fun before hand~

_**-Lemon start-**_

She shuddered slightly as her work finally bore fruit and she felt the blond beneath her give in to her desires unable to ignore the demands of his own body given the circumstances. She moaned softly as she felt his shaft slowly rise between her spread cheeks, the crown of his member dragging its way across the supple flesh of her rear as it rose to its full glory sending slight bursts of pleasure arcing through her as it rose. She giggled and pushed herself down slightly smothering it deeper between the confines of her doughy cheeks, swallowing the rod of flesh with ease earning a groan of contentment from the blond that only spurred her on.

"Someone is a bit more willing than they let on..." She teased even as a dark green blush settled upon her face, raising then dropping her hips ever so slightly as she jerked him with her ass clenching supple cheeks around his pole. "Then again who could really blame you~" She sighed in false exasperation as she began to bounce upon him, the soft lewd clap of her plump thighs striking against his hips leaving very little to the imagination.

"Well, _someone _went and threw my clothes away..." He muttered sending her a dirty look while quietly surrendering himself to her ministrations, allowing her to do as she pleased getting a chime-like laugh from the woman on top of him. "It doesn't help that you refuse to wear anything!"

"If one is going to be in nature than they should embrace the most natural parts of themselves~" She half lectured half groaned as she felt him twitch beneath her and became conscious of her own moistening lips growing hungry once again at the presence of their beloved partner. "Maybe we can go what your people call a 'date' afterward~" She pondered mirthfully, ceasing her bouncing to merely grind against him, both stopping their conversation to ride the waves of pleasure overtaking them.

"I..." He panted slightly as he tried to keep focus. "I'm kinda spoken for at the moment." He informed not really sure if Caroline's allowance covered whatever _this _was... fucking for his life perhaps? That sounded like a fair justification at the moment all things considered.

"The good ones always are." She quipped gyrating her hips in a manner than nearly made him go cross-eyed. "So who's the lucky woman?" She asked as though she didn't currently have his dick buried solidly between her ass cheeks. "You've already said it's not the elf... perhaps a childhood sweetheart then?~"

"Something like that..." He acknowledged.

"How cute." She hummed softly to herself as she grew tired of her grinding and began lining up his rod with her waiting nethers. "Perhaps an arrangement can be reached... I can be quite persuasive as you know~" She huffed as she lowered herself onto him, his tower sliding easily into the snug suckling embrace of her waiting honeypot. The pair moaned and grunted respectively as the quiet wet smack of her puffy lips landed squarely against his pelvis echoed in their ears. The mutual pleasure of his cock being buried to the hilt inside of her silencing their banter.

For all of about maybe ten seconds anyway.

"Fucckk..." Venus felt the familiar tingle running through her legs as she quickly began to throw herself upon him, not interested in a slow build-up she rapidly lifted and impaled herself on his prick reveling in the sensation of fulfillment he granted her. Her breasts heaved and bounced widely in return for her efforts while below her ass clapped and rippled as she slammed herself against his prone form. "I-I've decided, you are going to be mine." She whispered as she punished her needy twat with his cock meat. "I don't care what I have to do or who I have to put up with but I'm not giving you up!" She promised resolutely while their hips smacked erotically below.

He wasn't sure what to say to that, this hadn't been the plan at all but right now he couldn't really find himself caring all that much either.

He could figure it all out later.

Venus yelped as she was dethroned from her top position, the sudden shift leaving her empty and bothered causing her to whine in frustration, a whine that swiftly morphed into a wail of ecstasy as she felt her lover hilt himself back into her and begin hammering away at her love garden without mercy. Her flowing arousal splashed and splattered against the grass below as he speared her over and over again battering the entrance to her womb with the crown of his girthy member. She'd taken him on a whim but now she wasn't sure she could live without him constantly trying to break her body in two!

"That it! Come on and fuck me harder!" She cried, her toes curling from the raw pleasure crashing through her as he granted her desires, the rhythmic smacking of his hips against her ass alerting any and all passers-by that she was being thoroughly fucked senseless and her cries assured them that was loving every second of it! "Plow my garden for your seeds!" She growled and she vaguely felt him take hold of her arms, his hands tightening around her wrists as he forced her partly upright. Her large bountifully breasts left to bounce in the open as the force of his impacts grew more fierce at her commands, turning her once emerald green ass an angry red as he slammed into her.

She wasn't sure if she could die from sex but if she did then she'd at least die happy.

Back and forth her body swayed as she was impaled repeatedly upon his length, his grip the only thing keeping her upright while her breasts slapped and clapped against each other erratically as he continued to use her in the most pleasurable ways. She wailed in ecstasy as her bumped and scraped against her inner walls with reckless abandon having long since discovered she was more durable than she looked.

Finding what little strength she could she leaned back and met his lips in a frenzied kiss, one that in the heat of the moment he was quick to return. Their tongues dueled sloppily while their hips rutted against one another like animals, saliva trailed from the corners of their mouths at the exchange but neither could bring themselves to care, both too lost in their own pleasure.

Her face scrunched up as she was quickly pushed over the edge at the frenzied fucking she was being treated to and her quivering cunt flexed and shuddered as the first ropes of boiling baby batter splashed through her inner caverns, the milky white substances filling every nook and cranny of her womb, meanwhile, her lover continued to thrust into her, uncaring of her pleasured overload or his own in favor of continung to pound her into the soft earth below for a few more moments.

She swore she blacked out for a moment as her limp body fell onto the soft grass below, no longer possessing the strength to hold herself upright. She barely noticed the blond crashing on top of her, still fully sheathed within her walls but too exhausted to continue.

_**-Lemon End-**_

"I think my legs are numb..." She panted trying vainly to bring her limbs back under her control with little success. "Guess I might have pushed a little too hard." She laughed sheepishly though she moaned a bit given than he was still lodged firmly inside of her.

"You think?" He grunted sarcastically, trying to regain his lost strength. How was it that training for hours on end was still somehow _less _exhausting than keeping her satisfied?

"Nothing ventured nothing gained~" She chirped rolling her hips a bit. "And I think there just enough time for one more round~" She pushed him over and began mounting him again, apparently she'd gained her second wind.

He could only curse the gods that had decided he would be the one to suffer at the hands of her appetite.

...

* * *

"Where the hell are they?!..." Ayelia growled lowly to herself, tapping her foot impatiently against the dirt as she glared heatedly into the section of forest that stood before her. It was almost thirty minutes past the agreed-upon timeframe and she was seconds away from grabbing her bow tearing the woodlands to pieces.

"Perhaps they just misjudged the distance." The mayor suggested, garbed in his usual clothing while he sat calmly on a pile of leftover logs as they waited. "It can happen to the best of us." He assured with a hint of experience mixed into his words.

She glanced at the elder out of the corner of her eye before scoffing and turning her head. "She set the meeting, she should show up on time. That idiot partner of mine should be keeping her on task if nothing else, the good for nothing..." She complained idly twiddling with one of her arrows, a habit she'd picked up as a child when she was stressed.

The mayor chuckled softly at her words causing her to turn and glare at him for his sudden laughter.

"What's so funny about this?!" She snarked sharply causing the elderly mayor to hold up his hands in surrender but she could still see the twinge of amusement in his aged eyes as he regained control of his laughter.

"Nothing, nothing at all." He assured. "It's just nice to see that you care so much for the lad, he's lucky to have someone like you at his side." He laughed and she froze slightly a hint of pink settling on her face as her lips settled into a deep scowl.

"I don't care about that moron!" She hotly refuted. She could care less what that idiot was up to... alone with that walking green floozy... trapped and unable to resist his baser instincts...

She didn't notice the arrow in her had snapped in her grip while her teeth gnashed angrily at that particular train of thought. That bitch probably had her hands all over her partner right now doing who knows what! Her scowl deepened as her mind began conjuring image after image of the blond warrior left disarmed and defenseless, while from the shadows a pair of haughty pink eyes looked down upon with thinly veiled hunger as she approached the man and he surrendered himself to her.

Mayor Rivers watched the elven girl by his side grow increasingly red in the face, whether from rage, embarrassment, or some combination of both he was not entirely certain but years of wisdom warned him it was better to keep his head low when it came to emotional women.

Especially if that woman wielded a bow and had an itchy trigger finger.

Thankfully, the two were brought back to the present by the sensation of the earth suddenly rumbling beneath their feet, the sound of cracking rock and shifting dirt prompting the two to tense as the ground splintered beneath them and thick, dark green vines poured from the cracks. Ayelia nocked an arrow as the earth seemed to groan from the strain as a large segmented tendril shot forth from the ground, its towering form made more intimidating by the damage surround it.

Ayelia and Mayor Rivers stepped cautiously towards the overgrown vine each ready to make an escape if need be. They watched with anticipation as the central tendril began to peel away, unfolding like a flower in bloom and revealing its emerald center.

In the middle of the once-mighty monolith sat a bemused Venus, who had surprisingly donned some form of jungle made clothing that just barely managed to preserve her modesty while beneath her wrapped securely in a ball of vines and branches was an exhausted-looking but very much _alive _blond adventure who offered the pair a tired smile.

Ayelia let out a breath she'd been holding for what felt like hours at the sight of her companion looking for the most part unharmed and a warm sensation blossomed in her chest as she drank in his features. She was still furious at him but knowing he was okay took a great weight off her shoulders.

"Apologies for the delay." Venus bowed, her usual motherly tone unconsciously causing the duo to relax ever so slightly. "We were a bit preoccupied this morning." She apologized with a slight smile, her pleasant tone giving nothing away in regards to what _exactly _had delayed the pair but there was a brief hint of satisfaction in her voice.

Ayelia felt her brow twitch slightly at the excuse but managed to hold herself back from saying anything for the time being. She'd beat the answers out of Naruto later and if his answers were unsatisfactory...

Well, she could always use the extra target practice.

In his cocoon, Naruto felt a small shiver go up his spine and a feeling of impending doom wash over him for the briefest of moments.

"Fashionably late, as the youth might say... "Mayor Rivers stepped forward with a slight chuckle. "And I'd say the entrance more than makes up for it." He smiled prompting the Venus to giggle softly in her palm at the rather relaxed nature of the older man.

"I think I like you." She grinned adjusting herself upon her captive who merely rolled his eyes at her flair for dramatics. "But sadly, I'm not here to be a spectacle for your amusement so I do hope you enjoyed the free show." She teased but there was an underlying hint seriousness to her words that prompted the mayor to quickly sober up.

"No, I suppose you're not." He nodded allowing a frown to grace his aged features. "From what I've been told you wished to meet with me and discuss your role in the disappearances plaguing my town." He spoke with an even tone. There was no anger or accusations hidden in his words, just the facts as he understood them. "Judging by your rather unique appearance, I assume it would not be incorrect to say that you aren't human?"

"You would be correct." She affirmed half-lidded pink eyes staring lazily into the mayor's own blue orbs. "I'm what you'd call an Alraune, though I'm a bit of a special case." She admitted but didn't go onto elaborate further. "Unfortunately for both of us, my special nature has made sustaining myself a bit... harder than usual and so I've had to relieve you of some of your guards and the occasional adventure you've sent my way." She said admitting that she was indeed the cause of the disappearances.

"You eat them?" He asked with a slight frown now looking warily at the female sitting before him who rolled her eyes slightly at the assertion.

"Yes and no." She answered, resting her cheek upon her palm. "I do not _physically _consume them as you are perhaps thinking but I instead drain them of their life forces, converting it into a form that I can then consume to continue living." She explained simply not bothering to go into the messy details of her unorthodox method of feeding.

"I see... and do your 'meals' suffer under this process?" The mayor asked with a slight edge to his voice that all parties present easily picked up on as they watched the two trade questions and information.

Venus frowned having picked up the subtle hint of a threat in the old man's question. "Regardless of what you might think of me, I do not wish to harm living creatures any more than I must to survive." She noted coldly, scoffing at the implication she reveled in her actions. "They are not conscious of the process and their suffering is kept minimal. If anything they are more relaxed as they approach the end compared to when I catch them."

Ayelia flinched slightly at that knowledge remembering just how comfortable she'd been during her own time trapped in the plant woman's clutches. She'd not even put up a fight, rather she had embraced the feelings of peace and contentment that had come with the dreamlike state she'd resided in.

To think she was being slowly eaten alive during that time sent slight chills through her.

Mayor Rivers nodded. "Then I thank you for at least treating them humanely in their final days." He may not have enjoyed discovering his men were dead but at least they did not suffer. "The simple question I have now though is what happens from here?." He stepped forward slightly. "While I am glad to know that the forest surrounding our home is not home to some mindless beast, as the leader of this town I also can not just allow you to run wild taking whomever you'd like as cattle." He stated, not showing the slightest bit of hesitation in his words.

Naruto chose this moment to speak up hoping to mediate a little bit between the two.

"Excuse me, I know this is technically between you two but I thought perhaps you might be able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement." He proposed turning all attention onto himself.

"And what exactly would Bleakcrest gain from such an agreement?" Rivers asked. "More to the point what reasoning would there be to overlook such transgressions." He inquired

"I'd also like to know myself, Naruto." She purred slightly but there was a distinct lack of playfulness to her expression that warned him to take this seriously. "Why should I restrain myself on their behalf?"

"Well, judging by what I know you both have been benefiting from one another even if one side was doing so unintentionally." He stated looking between them. "Mayor Rivers, Venus here is the cause of the increase in the number and health of your crops which makes her directly responsible for the town's expansion." He informed prompting the elderly leader to turn and face the Alraune in surprise.

"Is that true? You are the one aiding our crops?" He asked earning a small nod from the green woman who offered an apologetic smile.

"I did not wish to take without giving something back in return." She admitted. "I figured I could at least offer a measure of compensation for those lost." She replied faintly.

"See, if you attack her not only would you likely lose who knows how many men but Bleakcrest would be forced to downsize again which would push residents to leave and seek better opportunities elsewhere." He argued. "She was doing what she had to but clearly she is not entirely fond of the situation."

On top of him, Venus smiled at his defense of her and if they didn't have company she would have shown him the depths of her gratitude.

_Oh well, there would always be later~_

The mayor was silent for a few moments as he weighed the new information in his mind before speaking. "While I am appreciative of the help, I can not in good conscious trade lives for wealth. Unless she agrees not to harm innocents and the people of Bleakcrest I can not just allow this situation to remain as is." He said sternly. He wanted what was best for the town but not at the cost of filling their closest with skeletons to do so.

Naruto nodded approvingly. "I assumed so but here is where you two can compromise. If Venus agrees to not eat residents of the town and non-hostile passers-by, could you then allow her to enter the city and perhaps offer her a portion of the food that the town stores? She can eat other things than just people." He reasoned. "She can act as somewhat of a guardian and a citizen while you keep her from feeding on the people. Everyone wins!"

The duo seemed to pause and consider his proposal, eyeing each other slightly they did concede that the blond made a fair point and neither really lost anything from doing so...

"I... I am willing to try if it means putting an end to the loss of life." Rivers conceded first, willing to take the first step in securing the safety and prosperity of his people even under these strange circumstances. "If she is willing I would be open to allowing her into the city and setting aside a portion of our food reserves as a form of payment."

Naruto nodded and then angled his head up at the still thinking Alraune. "I think that's pretty fair, don't you?" He asked hoping that she would take the deal.

She looked between him and the mayor a few times still weighing her options before giving a soft sight and standing up to her full height. "Very well, that is acceptable to me and so you have my word that so long as you uphold your end of the bargain I shall uphold mine." She walked over to the old man and held out her hand which he quickly took and shook gratefully.

"I promise you on my title as Mayor that you can trust us." He promised truthfully, prompting her to offer him a slight smile.

"I hope so..." She pulled away and with a slight gesture, the earth around them began to shake and groan once more as the towering tendrils dove back under the surface and the ground began to stitch itself back together leaving fresh pristine soil in its place much to the amusement of the mayor and Ayelia who'd never seen such a display of natural control.

Naruto grinned happily as his bindings quickly fell away and he was finally able to move once again.

Venus walked back over and to his surprise cupped his face between her palms with a soft smile. "It seems like your little gambit paid off in the end, I suppose I won't be keeping you after all." She admitted quietly but he still caught the tinge of disappointment in her voice that tugged at his heart a bit. Even if she had captured and held him hostage, she wasn't bad and he couldn't help but feel for her.

Taking hold of her hands and allowed himself to lean into her touch a bit while offering her a toothy grin. "Guess not... but it's not like we won't meet again." He reminded her. "Besides I thought you were going to make me yours~" He teased with a laugh remind her of her rather heat of the moment declaration.

He was then promptly caught off guard when instead of joining him in mirth, she instead pulled him into a kiss and not a friendly goodbye kiss, more of a "marking her territory" kind of kiss that left him reeling while their onlookers watched in a mixture of surprise and extreme fury.

She pulled away after a few more minutes of tongue wrestling and chuckled at his dumbstruck expression. "To be clear I still intend to make you mine that has not changed." She assured him with a naughty smile. "But I can take it slow for now~"

She then leaned down and whispered something into his ears that caused him to stiffen before she kissed him once more on the cheek and sashayed off into the forest. A large smile was plastered on her face as she did so while she left a sputtering blond in her wake.

"That woman is going to be the death of me..." He muttered still trying to get his thoughts together.

"Ahem!"

Correction, she would be the death of him if he somehow managed to survive Ayelia first.

"Can I get like a ten second head start at least?" He asked quietly, not even bothering to face his no doubt, furious companion.

"You get _five _seconds." She hissed and he could hear the sounds of her bowstring being drawn back as she began to count down.

"I'll take it."

Mayor Rivers could only watch on quietly as the blond booked it back into town while his partner chased after him, screaming curses and insults as she took potshots at the wailing warrior begging for someone to save him.

"I forgot how violent young love can be..." He sweatdropped before making his own way back into Bleakcrest already exhausted with the day's events.

...

* * *

It had taken a bit but Ayelia finally got tired of shooting at him and the two were now back in their shared room in The Gilded Crest inn.

"Thank you for not killing me." He laughed, crashing heavily onto the bed with a relieved sigh. He'd missed the feeling of the warm fur sheets and spongy mattress and given that he was still rather tired he was more than ready to just crash and sleep for a whole day at least.

"You're just lucky I needed to save arrows. She huffed and sat herself down on her side of the bed making sure to face away from him so he'd know she was still mad. "Don't think you're off the hook just yet." She warned still more than a bit heated about this whole thing.

"I know I know, I promise I'll make it up to you somehow." He assured her. "Also... I'm sorry." He said suddenly prompting her to perk up a bit but she maintained her pouty disposition.

"...go on." She prompted.

He sighed and sat up a bit. "I'm sorry for putting you in that position... I said we are partners but I keep making decisions on your behalf and that's not fair to you." He admitted unsure of how she was taking his words but seeing as she wasn't interrupting him he took it as a sign that he was on the right track.

"I let you down back there, and then made you clean up after my mistake. Maybe if I had asked you we could have come up with a better plan and none of this would have happened." He closed his eyes and paused before continuing. "You have every right to be upset with me and I accept that I just hope in time you'll forgive me." He finished.

Ayelia said nothing for a long while and for a moment he'd resigned himself to her anger before at least she spoke up.

"You idiot..." She whispered.

His eyes widened in surprise when she quickly turned and pulled him against her, slim arms wrapping around his neck as she buried her face into his hair. He felt his face warm a bit as he was pushed up against her chest but his confusion managed to override his hesitance and without thinking he wrapped his own arms around her in return.

"I... I was worried you wouldn't come back..." She muttered lowly into his crown of spikes. "I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat... I didn't know if she would keep her promise..." He could hear the stress in her voice as she recalled her hours of solitude without him.

"Don't you ever do that to me again." She pulled back and looked him directly in the eye. "Don't trade my life for yours." She glared and he could see a slight tinge of red in her normally crystal clear emerald eyes. He felt guilt flood him and he tightened his hold on her, reassuring her that he wasn't going anywhere.

"I can't promise you that..." He admitted and flinched as he felt her stiffen in his grip but he would not lie to her. "It's not in my nature to leave someone in need, least of all my partner." He laughed weekly and he could feel her hands balling into fists behind his back as he rejected her demand.

"You barely know me... don't be so foolish..." She hissed in what she likely intended to be an intimidating tone but it came out weak and twinged with a bit of loathing. Whether it was aimed herself or him, he wasn't entirely sure but he held her tightly regardless.

"I know enough." He answered simply. "I know I can trust you to have my back, I know that you are the best archer I've ever met, and I know that if it came down to it you'd probably have done the same for me if the roles were reversed." He laughed pulling her away again to look once more in the eyes. "Let's not pretend I'm the only stubborn one around here."

She clicked her teeth but didn't deny his statement... she would have and that pissed her off. She would have given her life for a humans' with so little thought when mere days ago she'd sworn to kill as many as she could. She'd even tried to kill the one in her arms the only thing that had spared him of her wrath being his own combat prowess exceeding hers at close rage.

_All because of this stupid oaf..._

"I hate you..." She whispered glaring into those big blue eyes of his.

He nodded and flashed her a knowing grin. "I know you do but that's okay, I like you too." He teased making her flush a bit as he turned her words back on her. She was also suddenly aware of how precarious a position they were in, her arms wrapped around his neck while his sat snugly around her waist. They were practically on top of one another with faces mere inches apart.

_All she'd have to do is lean forward and..._

"A-Anyway!" She stuttered quickly wriggling her way out of his grip and making some much needed distance. "J-Just try and be more considerate next time!" She coughed, trying her best to bury her embarrassment with her usual behavior.

He blinked in confusion at her sudden attitude shift but thought nothing of it and gave the elf a small nod and a smile. "I will do my best!" He agreed, offering a small thumbs up causing her to roll her eyes slightly at the corny gesture but there was a hint of amusement in her exasperated expression.

"You better!" She warned but it lacked the usual heat he'd come to associate with her threats letting him he was at the very least partly forgiven for his actions, something that brought him a bit of relief.

He didn't think he could handle anything else today.

"By the way..." Green eyes fixed him in place with a piercing stare that warned him that perhaps he'd spoken too soon...

"You haven't explained just what exactly happened while I was gone and more importantly..."

He gulped as her eyes began to twitch ever so slightly and he suddenly began to wonder if perhaps staying with Venus would have been so bad in the long run...

"Do you plan on explaining what that _kiss _was about?" She hissed her tone indicating that this was less of a question and more of a demand causing him to weep internally while he tried to think of an answer that wouldn't involve someone getting killed.

Namely him...

"About that... it's a long story..." He chuckled nervously.

Ayelia merely made herself comfortable while keeping him pinned with a less than pleased expression. "By all means tell it, I have all the time in the world." She stated with a crooked and more to the point, _very unsettling _smile. "We're not going anywhere."

Yep, he was fucked.

_Why did bad things always have to happen to him!_

* * *

"Ah, thank you both for coming on such short notice!" Mayor Rivers greeted the pair as they stepped into his office, both seemingly fully recovered for the events of the past few days.

"It's fine, we were going to return again soon anyway. You just happened to call us first." Naruto grinned, rubbing the back of his head as they approached the elderly leader. "I assume this has to do with our recent job?"

The mayor smiled and nodded. "Yes it does, seeing as the situation has evolved past my initial expectations I thought it prudent to inform you both how the process is progressing." He explained.

"There hasn't been any trouble has there?" He asked and the mayor quickly shook his head.

"Nothing of the sort lad, Ms. Venus has been quite cooperative with the whole process and all the recent patrols I've sent to explore her territory have returned unharmed." He smiled gratefully at the pair. "I can't begin to thank you enough for the work you've done. It has removed a great burden from my shoulders knowing that my people will no longer have to fear the forests surrounding our home."

"We were happy to help, it was a good experience!"

"Good for you maybe, pervert..." Ayelia huffed quietly making the blond wince ever so slightly at the insult but thankfully Mayor Rivers seemed unaware of the elf's words, much to his relief...

"It brings me joy to hear that young man, but I did not call you here just to tell you things were going smoothly." He continued causing the pair to look upon the elderly man curiously. "There is also the matter of payment to discuss. We did not set any terms before you left and seeing as you are the only group to have returned successfully, I think it is only right to see your actions rewarded."

The mayor pulled out two small pouches and laid them flat upon his desk before them. "The original bounty was initial one hundred gold pieces for finding the source of the disappearances. This was raised to two hundred after the first wave of adventures ended up being lost as well." He explained.

"For your work in not only putting an end to the disappearances but also creating a peaceful arrangement between Bleakcrest and our new resident Alraune, I am happy to offer you both one hundred and fifty gold pieces each." He said handing them the weighty pouches that they took gratefully.

This would more than cover their expenses and leave them a good bit of pocket money left over.

"Thank you, we're glad we could be of help to the town." They gave a slight bow but the mayor waved them off with a kind smile.

"As I said, it is we who should be thanking you. Who knows how out of hand this may have gotten without your intervention, please don't sell yourselves short in this achievement." He reaffirmed before pausing for a moment. "I do have something else for you two, as a sign of personal gratitude on my own behalf for your work."

The mayor pulled out two brown duffle bags from beneath his desk and gave them to the two who seemed a bit confused. They already had bags so why give them more?

"I can see you two seem a bit confused." The mayor chuckled as he watched them do their best not to appear dismissive of his gift. "While I am sure travelers like yourself more than certainly have your own means of storing your things, those two bags may prove more efficient."

He gave a toothy smile. "I might not look it anymore but I used to be an adventurer like you... until I decided to settle down and start a family. I picked those up on my travels." He informed them. "The bags are enchanted, stitched with the magic of some of the most skilled mages on the continent. Or at least that was the marketing pitch the man selling them gave me haha!"

The two quickly looked over the bags, they didn't look overly special and they were smaller than the pack Naruto currently owned. Perhaps the mayor had been scammed in his youth...

"I can see those looks of doubt but I promise you they're genuine." He chuckled. "They aren't anything very fancy in the looks department but their use more than makes up for it."

"What exactly do they do?" Ayelia asked sliding her new bag over her shoulders. Her experience with magic was limited so this news of supposedly imbuing objects with the powerful energies was new to her. Naruto was a bit more familiar with the concept since traders would sometimes pedal enchanted trinkets but he'd never seen anything this advanced before.

"I can attest firsthand that carrying around the treasures you find and the gold you earn along your travels can get a bit weary after a time. Those bags possess two enchantments that make the task much more manageable." He explained. "Firstly, there is a weightlessness enchantment placed upon the bags, all items stored within are no longer nearly as heavy as they should be making hauling around clothing, armor, weapons, or whatever you need to be stored much easier."

Immediately the pair were smitten with the idea, being able to pack their clothing or items they picked up on their travels without being bogged down would be a dream come true!

"Secondly, there is a space enchantment, this one still baffles me but somehow the magic manages to expand the interior of the bag without expanding the outside." He informed. "Essentially, items larger than the bag can, within reason, fit inside of it meaning its storage capacity is much greater than it might initially appear. Be warned this is not unlimited and if too much is stored inside both enhancements will fail and you'll suddenly be bogged down by everything you put inside until you lighten the load." He warned.

"Are you sure it's alright to just give us these?..." He asked looking at the sack in his hands with wonder. No doubt these were not cheap and more to the point he doubted he could find them just anywhere in some random shop. "The gold was quite a lot already."

Mayor Rivers nodded. "They are of no use to me now in my age but I have a feeling you two will make better use of them than I ever did so please, take them. I will be busy finalizing the terms of our new agreement so I, unfortunately, will not have much time to speak with you further." He acknowledged. "I hope the remainder of your stay here is pleasant and that you have safe travels from here on out." He wished them a fond farewell for everything they'd done

"Thank you!" The vocalized their thanks as best they could and left the mayor's office behind with rewards in hand.

* * *

_**A Few Days Later**_

They decided to extend their stay in Bleakcrest for a few more days to resupply with their newly earned coin, they'd taken on some odd jobs here and there that ensured they'd be able to afford proper supplies for their upcoming departure and the pair had gained a bit of a reputation in the town for their efforts. Naruto had gone and replaced his lost blade with a new one, while Ayelia had gotten herself a few new sets of clothing no longer confined to her battle outfit or her less than appropriate sleepwear.

"I think we have everything we need." Naruto hummed looking over their supplies as he stuffed their new bags full of spare rations, clothing, and extra supplies in case of emergencies. "So we can set out first thing tomorrow morning if the weather stays nice." He noted causing Ayelia to groan a bit.

"Does it have to be in the morning..."

"I know you like sleeping in but it's better for us to leave early that way we can cover more distance before night falls and we'd have to make camp." He chuckled having grown familiar with her rather healthy distaste for morning excursions.

She clicked her teeth but nodded nonetheless, she supposed it was just something she would have to get used to. That didn't mean she had to like it though.

_**Knock knock!**_

The pair paused as a gentle rapping tapped at the wooden door to their room prompting the two to shoot each other looks of confusion. They waited for a moment before the knocking came again followed by a familiar voice that sparked excitement in Naruto and annoyance in Ayelia.

"Hello? I hope I'm not intruding?" The soft mature voice of Venus called from the other side of the wooden structure. "This is the right room, correct?"

"If I say no, will you go away?" Ayelia snarked not at all happy to hear from the plant witch. Didn't she have other things to do? More to the point why did she keep having to come and bother them specifically?!

"Probably not." Venus chimed back and both caught the hint of amusement in her response that only succeeded in pissing Ayelia off further. "But I will make a note of it and break in a little later." She commented jokingly though given her track record they couldn't be sure that she _wouldn't_ actually do that.

Deciding it would probably be best for him to interject now before this could get worse, he quickly made his way over to the door and pulled it open revealing Venus in all her glory though with a few changes.

For one it appeared as though she'd finally gotten herself some proper clothing dressing herself in a snug white top that strained to contain her sizeable chest but managed to hold together somehow. She'd also acquired a pair of dark green shorts that similarly to her top seemed to be struggling to contain the plant woman's... thickness, so to speak. Covering just enough to be called decent but no doubt would turn a few heads if she walked through the streets during the day.

"Mou... if you keep looking at me like that I don't know if I'll be able to hold back..." She purred causing him to stumble back a bit with a blush as he realized he was caught staring.

"I-I didn't mean to!" He quickly apologized causing her to laugh as she made her way into the room.

"Why are you here?" Ayelia hissed, glaring at her partner out of the corner of her eye who at least had the decency to duck his head down in quiet shame at her glare. "And how exactly did you find out where we were staying?!"

Venus smiled and clapped her hands. "Well, I heard through the grapevine that a certain duo was preparing to leave town and I couldn't exactly not stop bye and say my farewells~" She laughed at the sour look the elf shot her. "As for how I found you..." She quickly saddled up to the blond warrior and buried his face in her chest. "I'll always know where my _lover _is~" She finished with a wink.

"He's not your lover you oversized weed!" She hissed. "Holding him hostage doesn't count!"

"But he liked it?" She countered while burying the blond further into her chest ignoring his flailing. "I'm sure he told you all about our time together~" She cooed, sighing dramatically as reliving memories past. "I don't think I've felt such passion before... I wonder if you'd be interested in it~"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Ayelia's face burned red as the imagery poured in and it grew more so when images of Venus began to be replaced with her.

Venus giggled, this poor girl had it bad but she wouldn't make any progress until she got a handle on this little tsundere act of hers. However, in the meantime it was still adorable.

Naruto gasped as he finally managed to break free from the soft hell he'd be trapped in and took a few breaths to compose himself while Ayelia and Venus continued their little discussion. He was fairly confident his companion was seconds away from drawing her bow and so he quickly intervened before they turned their room into a warzone.

"So, Venus." He called shifting the plant woman's attention from Ayelia to him. "Where have you been? I thought we would have seen you around town but we couldn't find you anywhere?" He asked. He'd honestly thought they wouldn't be seeing her again before they'd left which he had honestly a bit disappointed by.

"I returned to my home to prepare some things, this is actually my first time entering the town." She admitted somewhat bashfully. "I suppose I was a bit nervous about the entire thing so I had the mayor deliver some items I would need, hehe..." She said twirling a stray strand of green hair around her finger shyly.

"I see, you could have come and stayed with us though, we would have been happy to accommodate you while you were adjusting." He said with a small frown, she was usually so confident and in control that it hadn't crossed his mind at all that she would be nervous about the transition.

"Happy is a very relative term." Ayelia huffed in annoyance. Technically, he could do as he pleased since he was the one who had bought the room but she would still have had a fit about it.

Venus rolled her eyes a bit at the little elfs hostility and instead focused her attention on the blond beside her, placing her hand delicately upon his cheek. "I know but I wanted to do this on my own. I can't go relying on you for everything now, can I?" She shook her head. "You have done enough."

"I guess..." He grumbled not fully convinced but there was nothing he could do about it.

"What time will you two be leaving?" She asked easily changing the subject towards the original intent of her visit. "I assume it'll be sometime early in the day?"

"That is the plan if everything goes well" He nodded and she hummed in understanding.

"I see, well then I am glad I managed to catch you before you left." She gave a slightly saddened smile but there was genuine happiness in her voice as well. "I wished to thank you for giving me this opportunity, I would never have taken the step myself I have you two to thank for this." She said sincerely.

He beamed and even Ayelia managed a small smile at the gratitude they felt coming from the woman sitting with them.

"I brought you two some things for your travels that will hopefully be of help!" She cheered and reached into a small bag that she'd brought with her that the two hadn't noticed prior. "My hope is you won't need these but I'd rather you have them just in case."

She pulled out four vials filled with brightly colored liquid, two of the vials were a bright crimson while the other two were a shining emerald green.

"I used some of the local plants to make some basic elixirs for you, should you be injured or fall sick the red one will aid in the healing process. If you need a boost in battle however, the green one should give you a small shot of energy." She supplied handing the vials over to Naruto who took them gratefully.

"Thank you so much!" He embraced the plant girl tightly who was more than happy to return the embrace enjoying the warmth the blond provided that she was more than certain she was going to miss terribly. She didn't like to admit she was a bit of a cuddler and having the male in her arms was a delight she'd enjoyed greatly.

"Thanks, I guess..." Ayelia huffed giving her own nod of begrudging thanks for the gifts, still managing to shoot a glare at the rather smug looking female.

"Of course, I hope they prove useful to you going forward." She nodded, reluctantly ending her embrace with blond. "I can not stay for long and I do not think I will be comfortable enough to see you off tomorrow so I suppose this will be our last meeting for the foreseeable future..."

He frowned and he pulled the saddened female against him. "We'll come back to visit, this isn't the last time we'll meet." He assured her and she smiled slightly at his words, how odd that he could come to care about someone who was technically once his enemy.

"Is that one of your promises~" She teased lightly, giving an airy laugh.

"Sure is!" He fired back. "I promise we'll be back one day with a ton of stories to tell about our travels."

"Then I shall count the days until you return." She then pulled herself from his arms and brushed herself off. "I should return before it gets too late." She informed them making her way to the door. "It was nice to meet you... both of you." She smiled.

"Oh, before I forget!" She quickly made her way over to Ayelia and slipped something into her hands, just out of sight of the blond who was watching curiously from the side.

Ayelia frowned as she felt something being slipped into her open hand before the plant woman closed it quickly and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"As a fellow woman in love, I figured I could help you out some, just give him a few drops of this and he's practically yours but be warned he can be quite a handful so prepare yourself~" She whispered before quickly drawing back leaving Ayelia no time to respond to the sudden information.

Looking down at the item in her hand she found a fifth vial that was a bit smaller than the other four but this one was filled with a bright golden liquid that reminded her faintly of honey for some reason.

Venus then sauntered over to Naruto and without warning pulled him into a final ravenous kiss, utterly dominating the unexpecting blond who couldn't even mount a defense as his oral cavity was totally and utterly violated.

_Mwah!_

Venus smirked and whispered something in his ears as well. "I kept in mind what we talked about and I find the proposition interesting~" She purred, gently brushing herself against him. "I'll be sure to plan a trip to Redpoint in future~" She hummed lowly so only he could hear her.

She gave him one last quick peck on the cheek and swiftly made her way out, the soft click of the wooden door closing behind her as she left two completely stunned adventures in her wake, neither fully sure what just happened.

...

"Naruto." She said after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah?" He answered

"I still don't like her." She reaffirmed quietly pocketing the vial against her better judgment.

...

"Is there an honest response I can give you that won't end with you hitting me?" He asked quietly.

"Probably not."

"Fair enough." He sighed resigning himself to the inevitable.

_**THUMP!**_

_Some things will just never change..._

* * *

_**AN. Chapter Complete!**_

**That was quite a lot now wasn't it!**

**So a lot of stuff to over really quick in regards to the story and some of your questions so let's just jump right into it!**

**Firstly, the lemon at the beginning of the chapter:**

**Now normally I don't do lemons at the start of a chapter but since Venus will be going away I thought it would be nice to send her off with a **_**bang **_**so to speak, haha. I also don't always want a lemon to indicate the end of a chapter so I wanted to try moving it and seeing how that worked with the story flow. It's a shorter one but that was intentional so as not to take up too much space so I think that's okay. I'll probably play around with both short and longer lemons going forward and of course limes for those times were a full lemon isn't exactly appropriate.**

**For those of you who read for stuff other than lemons, no worries they will more than likely take a back seat again as I prepare the next setting of the upcoming storyline so we'll get back into the big action moments soon enough I just needed to wrap this up!**

**Next, the results for what will happen to Venus:**

**So, you guys did leave me your thoughts and to my surprise, it was pretty much a unanimous decision to have Venus return at some point. I was expecting it to be a 50/50 split but based off PM's and reviews it's pretty much unanimous. I'm not sure what the reasons are fully but I hear you nonetheless. Venus will reappear and I do hint at that towards the end of this chapter.**

**One point that this has made me much more conscious off, however, is that I need to create a system for deciding if characters should reappear or not because while I do like asking you for feedback in this regard it will almost assuredly get out of hand if left unchecked. If every character is well received then I'll somehow have to think of ways to bring every character back and that's just going to be impossible.**

**So, I'm instituting a new way of deciding going forward. Instead of asking you at the end of every new character introduction if you would like to see the character return in some way I will instead be doing polls every so often after a few new characters have been introduced then left behind. So, for example, if Naruto meets and has one-off relations with 5 girls over the course of a few stories I will then create a poll and people can vote between those five and the top pick can be reworked into the story somehow.**

**In a perfect world, we could have them all but I have a loooooot of characters I want to explore so I think this way will offer the fan favorites there chance to come back while making my life a bit more easy in terms of telling the story.**

**Anyway moving on!**

**Ayelia's romance:**

**So it's pretty clear our tsundere elf is catching some hard feelings but she's not quite over the hill just yet! She is getting there though and we'll see what that entails soon enough. As I mentioned, I'm not trying to do super long and drawn out romance build-ups with this story but given Ayelia's tsun nature it is going to take her a bit to finally accept what she wants.**

**And when she does... well, we all know what's gonna happen then.**

**Lastly, Magic... how it works and will Naruto have it?:**

**So I've touched a bit on this before but I will expand on it here to make it more clear. Magic in this story is not going to be this super rare thing by any means, many characters will have some affinity for it and the world will make use of it in different ways. We've already seen characters like Devra make use of powerful fire-based magic, Venus using some time of inherent nature/plant-based magic, and now we've seen that magic can be imbued into objects to apply new properties.**

**It only appears rare here because I've set them so far out and into tiny villages, when we visit the cities I have in mind we'll see this more. Of course, members of Naruto's party will also likely have access to magic as well given some of my ideas. I just want to be clear on that since I imagine some people might want to know just how much magic can do in this setting. It will be very versatile!**

**I also want to address the questions I've had in regards to Naruto receiving or using magic. He will use it when I have him learn/unlock/discover it but that is a bit out from here, as we get further things will naturally become more dangerous (both world hazards and the Monster Girls) so he will need to be stronger than just some above-average soldier.**

**In regards to the type of magic though? That is up in the air and I still deciding just what I want to give him that will ensure he grows strong but not strong enough to steamroll everything. I am also trying to naturally avoid having him just recreate every single skill he has from his own series barring **_**maybe **_**the Rasengan just because it is iconic to him.**

**Anyway, that's all for now, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I can't wait to see you all next time!**


	7. Laid to Rest

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my ideas and characters, everything else belongs to their original creators!**

**Welcome back! It has been a little bit due to life stuff but I am back with yet another chapter. I enjoyed writing this chapter and I think it turned out well for what I was going for. This story has been a really good learning experience for me, pushing me out of my comfort zone and challenging me to tell my own stories without always having everything planned out from the start. I'm glad that you all like the fic and it has been received rather well which is just awesome!**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and as always I will see you down at the bottom of the chapter!**

* * *

_Six days._

It had been six long, arduous days since they'd set off from Bleakcrest and made their out into the unknown to continue their journey. Six days of nothing but constant walking and idle chatter to break up the monotony of the journey and it would not be an understatement to say that both he and Ayelia were bored out of their minds with nothing to do.

"Where are we even headed exactly?" Ayelia sighed, kicking around some of the stray rocks and twigs that littered their path as they walked onward. "There is no way we have gone an entire week with absolutely nothing happening?! Not even a single bandit attack or anything..." She huffed in thinly veiled frustration.

He frowned and rubbed the bridge of his nose in a mixture of annoyance and resignation. He wasn't sure why they hadn't looked to perhaps hire a carriage but he was beginning to regret traveling by foot, their next destination still a fair bit away even with their relatively solid pace.

"Like I've said at least three times already..." He shot her an unamused look, one that she blatantly ignored in favor of kicking her rocks causing him to roll his eyes slightly." We're on our way to Mistmire, and from there we will hopefully be able to catch a boat to the nearest major city, Stormhold." He explained.

Mistmire was the last of the more well-known towns that dotted the southwest edge of the region along with Redpoint and Bleakcrest. A minor port town, it was only really known for the heavy mist that would often blanket the town, sometimes actually completely obscuring it from view from the outside. This somewhat common occurrence that had given the town quite a spooky reputation which attracted visitors to see the "disappearing" town for themselves.

It was also the fastest way to reach the first big city along their current traveling route.

Stormhold, on the other hand, was one of the nine major human-dominated cities dotted throughout the land. The city had earned its name shortly after it was established, the settlement had supposedly survived a weeks-long siege by unnaturally intense storms that had swept through the area. Despite its youth, the hold held strong and once the storm broke and the people could return to their lives they name Stormhold quickly spread and its survival marked the city as being blessed by the gods.

How much of that is true or not he couldn't say, but he supposed his opinion didn't matter much regardless.

"So you keep saying..." She answered gloomily. "I just wish that something would happ-" Abruptly she paused and he was forced to stop as she ground to a halt beside him, her previously annoyed expression twisting into one of confusion and slight wariness. As though something had tripped up at the edge of her senses.

"Do you hear that?..." She whispered lowly, her head swiveling slowly and though he'd almost missed it he managed to catch sight of her long pointed ears twitching, perking up and down as the elven archer began to walk off from the beaten path and off to the East.

"Oi!" He whispered harshly quickly taking off after her before she could get too far away. "Don't just walk off!" He complained but he made no move to stop her either, allowing her to lead as the pair made their way past scores of towering trees and dense bits of shrubbery. "What exactly can you hear?" He asked trying to get a gauge on why she'd suddenly gone off on her own.

She frowned and looked around once more. "I heard yelling and... rattling?" She seemed hesitant to put a name to whatever sound she'd heard but it was the best way to describe it. "Like... piles of bones being dumped to the floor or knocked over?" She tried her best to describe it while they pushed further on, the trail behind them slowly growing further and further away.

"Bones?" That in itself wasn't _too _surprising given the type of animals that made their home in this region. Bears and wolves were both fairly common so the idea that perhaps a small pack was simply chewing on an older kill wasn't out of the question. Then again unlike himself, Ayelia was, in fact, a dedicated hunter and likely far more familiar with the regular habits and sounds of the creatures she'd lived in close proximity too. Yelling could be good or bad but this far out from any of the major towns, he would place his bets on it being more bad than good.

"Do you think its trouble?" He whispered, stopping once more as she paused to regain her bearing and locate the "rattling" once again. He still couldn't hear a thing and so he quietly marveled at her sense of hearing. Guess the ears weren't just for show... at least for Wood Elves anyway.

"I'm not sure but it doesn't sound natural." She replied just as quietly as she began to move again. "Maybe it's just the silence getting to me but it can't hurt to check it out..." She rationalized.

He nodded, it wasn't like they were on a time table or anything and if this was something of note than it would be negligent of them to just pretend it wasn't happening.

...

The pair traveled for a few more minutes before at least even he could hear the peculiar sound she'd tried to describe. It _did _sound like rattling bones but being so close to the source it was a wonder how anyone hadn't heard it before. It wasn't deafening by any means but it was clear the loud clicking and clacking of what could only be joints snapping together and apart echoed through the air without pause.

"What the hell is that?" He whispered as the two quickly knelt down and hid themselves in some of the surrounding foliage, brushing away just enough of the greenery to peer out into the clearing that appeared to contain the source of the noise.

They were unprepared for the sight that would await them...

They felt their stomachs lurch within them as they laid eyes upon the piles of bodies littering the clearing. All laid limp, broken, and lifeless upon the patches of damp earth that grew increasingly dark as freshly spilled crimson life fluids seeped into it. The could make out small tents and fixtures that indicated that this place was once the camping sight of fellow travelers, with backpacks and supplies littered among the corpses that were strewn about.

There was no question as to the cause of such carnage, however, as towering above the slain victims were a horde of...skeletons?

At least twelve tall, lanky, and boney figures wadded through pools of blood, bile, and even fallen piles of bone as they searched through the camp. The creaking and clacking of their stiffened limbs seemed almost comical if not accentuated by the bloody instruments of war they carried with them, swords and axes gripped tightly in hand that dripped with freshly shed blood. The pair could just see dark markings etched into the bones that hummed with a dark blue, almost black energy that seemed to seep out from within them.

"How... how is that possible?..." Ayelia whispered in a mixture of revulsion and disbelief. "The dead are meant to stay dead!" She hissed instinctively drawing her bow in preparation to both avenge the fallen and put an end to these abominations! However, before she could fire she felt firm hands take hold of her wrists, locking her in place.

"Naruto let me go!" She growled but he shot her a serious look that quickly silenced her. His normally easy-going exterior having fallen away to be replaced with near palpable and barely restrained anger.

"Look." He commanded causing her to hesitate briefly before turning her eyes back onto the walking remains before them.

It seemed like whatever the undead warriors had been searching for had been found and now the hoard was collecting the bodies of the fallen from the earth. Some had split off to gather the fallen remains of their undead comrades, while the majority managed began to gather the fresh corpses into a nearby cart, dropping them and their supplies in with a dull thud.

Taking a quick glance at the cart they noticed one skeleton who appeared different from the rest. Unlike his bare-bones companions, no pun intended, upon the skull of this skeleton was a silver circlet with a red jewel affixed in its center like some kind of crown. The basic ornamental piece hummed with the same dark energy that the skeletons themselves practically oozed. No doubt it was playing a central role in this entire operation.

The duo watched as the last of the supplies, bodies, and bones were loaded onto the cart before the remaining skeletons split off into teams of six and began to pull the cart forward, slowly making their way off deeper into the woodlands.

"I very much doubt those things came back to life on their own." He intoned quietly already marching off in the direction they'd seen the hoard wander off in. "If they are going out and collecting bodies they have to have to be bringing them back somewhere, somewhere that'll hopefully give us more answers." He reasoned.

Ayelia nodded reluctantly, seeing the rational in his decision and the two quickly set off after the cart, thankfully it seemed the skeletons were lacking in raw strength so the process was more than slow enough that they could keep a respectable distance without fear of losing sight of their target. They weren't sure how aware these walking bones were of their surroundings but they decided to keep up their guard just on the off chance.

_They would get to the bottom of this._

* * *

...

Skeletons were probably the least efficient way to pull a cart, not that most people would think to use them for such a task but it was something they made note of regardless. They were just so damn slow!

It had taken almost the entire afternoon for the hoard to pull their cargo through the winding woods, without a proper path to follow many stops had to be made and the cart readjusted to better fit the uneven terrain. Regardless the skeletons worked without complaint, not that they could complain without vocal cords, and not once did they deviate from their task. It would have almost been impressive if not for the knowledge that someone's corpse had been ripped from the earth and forced to perform labor and slaughter against their will.

Thankfully, before the sun could fully set the hoard came to a slow stop. Before them, the open mouth of a cave of a large cave marked their final destination, its dark maw beckoning all manners of travelers and wildlife to enter its mysterious embrace at their peril.

They watched on as the skeleton crew hauled the rickety old cart into the cave, the aged and decayed yellow bones of the horde disappearing into the inky blackness of the shadows that lay beyond. For a while they could still hear the creaking of joints and cackling of bones grinding together before after a while the sounds faded away and the two were free to come out of hiding.

"So are we just supposed to wander in there?" Ayelia asked, inspecting the mouth of the cave with suspicious eyes. "We'll be at a disadvantage without any light but if we draw too much attention we could end up like those others..." She whispered.

"We don't have much of a choice in the matter..." He wasn't anymore a fan of this than she was but they couldn't just ignore this. "Odds are, someone or something lives in there. Unless whatever it is, is blind then there will probably be some form of light." He reasoned.

"I'm beginning to see a pattern to our approach that I'm not very fond of." She said with a resigned frown. She hated how it seemed they always had to take the risk, never could their problems just be easily resolved. First the bandits, then that walking weed, and now this.

It wasn't fair...

"Makes it a bit more exciting though you have to admit." He joked with a grin trying to relieve a bit of the tension hanging over them. "Besides we kinda asked for this so we aren't really in a position to complain." He shrugged while drawing his blade and stepping out of the shrubbery.

She huffed but didn't retort quietly falling in step behind him as they made their way past the threshold and into the darkness. Using the cave walls as a guide the pair silently made their way in and within moments the light of the setting sun had vanished, leaving them completely immersed in the pitch blackness that closed in on them from every angle. It took only seconds after the last of the light blinked out of existence for them to lose sight of one another, the only sign of the other's presence being the light crunch of gravel and dirt beneath their feet.

The could feel the once flat ground begin to slope down slightly as they went, a sign that the cave would take them further underneath the earth. Thankfully the wall kept them relatively steady as the ventured forth, their other senses on high alert with their vision all but useless down in the depths. In their hypersensitive state, it felt like there were eyes everywhere... peering at them through the darkness with all manner of claws, fangs, and who knows what else just waiting for the right moment to snatch them away.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the pushed and pushed, without light there was no sense of progress they could truly feel. For all they knew they might as well have been walking in circles with no real end in sight! The slope grew deeper it was almost as though they were wandering into the belly of a great beast.

Before the thought could gnaw at them for too long, however, the duo saw a small speck of light in the distance, a beam of illumination in the pit of shadows. It took all the restraint they possessed not to instinctively run towards it and escape the all-encompassing veil they'd found themselves in. They marched on and slowly but surely the speck grew larger and more luminous as they approached, bathing them in a gentle orange glow. For the first time in what felt like hours, they could see one another again and the unsettling feeling that had clenched at their hearts eased slightly.

As they neared it, they could see the light was coming from a second opening, one much smaller than the mouth of the cave but still more than large enough to fit them and more importantly, the cart of skeletons.

"You ready?" He asked, speaking up for the first time since they'd entered the cave. "I don't know what we'll find in there." He warned, making sure that his grip on his blade was secure.

"I won't be caught off guard a second time." She assured swiftly pulling out her bow on the off chance she'd need it ready. "Just try and keep the heroics to a minimum, please." She scolded already knowing his tendency to act before thinking.

"No promises." He grinned while keeping his blade at the ready.

With that, the pair stepped out into this new opening and for a moment they were rendered blind by the amount of light that greeted them upon crossing through the entrance. It took them a moment to readjust to the influx of illumination but eventually the stars in their vision faded and they were able to bear witness to the inner chamber.

"What the hell..." He whispered.

The chamber was much larger than the somewhat small opening had suggested, a deep hollow that burrowed in the surrounding earth like an empty cavity drilling into the soil. The floor below them which at one point had been a mixture of packed stone and dirt had been replaced by sturdy wooden scaffolding that circled the circumference of the room dipping down to allow access to the bottom of the chamber. Thin wooden guard rails had been installed presumably to mitigate accidents since falling from this height would almost ensure broken limbs if lucky and outright death otherwise.

Torches were lit throughout the chamber granting them a pretty clear look at the room and the could see smaller chambers branching off from this central one, though what they contained was a mystery.

Most concerning of all, however, were the occupants of this underground hideaway.

Bandits moved like burrowing ants in and out of the numerous tunnels and side entrances performing all measure of tasks but right alongside them were even greater hordes of undead. Skeletons had just been the tip of the iceberg apparently...

They watched with disgust as the half-decayed remnants of beings who were once living people worked themselves back to death digging tunnels and carrying materials like their living counterparts. Some "fresher" bodies could be seen sprinkled among them but the mortal wounds covering their bodies and the faint wisps of dark mana bleeding off them made it clear they had long since perished, the only them keeping them together being the magic running through them.

Suddenly it made a lot more sense as to why the horde they'd encountered earlier were collecting the remains of the dead. They were bringing them back to be reanimated and put to work here... but why?

"This... this is absolutely disgusting!" Ayelia hissed looking enraged. Wood Elves were taught to always respect the bodies of the dead, even fallen foes were treated with a certain level of honor. To rob these people of their lives simply to use their bodies for slave labor was abhorrent in her eyes!

"I agree, but before we do anything rash we need to figure out what's controlling these people and who these guys are." He very much doubted an ordinary group of outlaws somehow possessed the knowledge to reanimate the dead. Either there was more to these bandits than their appearance let on, or...

_Someone or something far more dangerous resided in these caverns._

Shaking those thoughts off he quickly scanned the surrounding scaffolding for guards and to his relief there didn't seem to be any posted by the entranceway. He spotted a few more experienced looking thugs overseeing the operations down below and a few small groups presumably taking short breaks here and there but no one that would alert them to their presence.

"Let's take it slow and try and see if we can't find out what they're doing down here." He whispered. "Don't fire unless you absolutely have to." He ordered, the last thing they needed was to be overrun without any means of escape. They were both keenly aware of what awaited them should they fall here.

"Right." She nodded and the two began making their way over to the nearest tunnel, they wouldn't risk going to the bottom level until they had a better idea of just what they were up against. Slipping into the first of the many tunnels they could instantly tell this room had been man-made, support beams had been installed to help maintain the tunnel's structure and faint boot prints could be seen pressed into the earth that indicated many people had come in and out of this section many times. There wasn't much to this smaller chamber honestly, it seemed to just be a simple storage room for tools and trash. It was more than likely that this tunnel was just the first one to be built and had long since been retired, they could see old worn shovels and pickaxes strewn about along with bags of trash and dirt that the bandits probably dumped outside when they left.

While there wasn't much they could use in here they still made a mental note of it, they might be able to hide here in an emergency or something.

"How long have they been here?" Ayelia wondered aloud. "There is no way they dug all of this themselves...right?" She questioned, how could a group of no-name bandits manage to create something like _this_ by themselves?

"I don't know but we wouldn't have found this place on our own and they are days away from any of the nearby towns." He frowned. "It's not impossible that they could have set this up but I don't understand why they are doing this... this camp is bigger than almost every other bandit den I've ever seen and they are still expanding." He questioned, more to himself than her.

None of this made any sense...

"Hey! Who's in here?!" A gruff male voice called into the tunnel, heavy footsteps warning them of the incoming danger. "If you fucking rookies are trying to cut your shift again by hiding out up here I swear you'll end up joining those damn boneheads!" The voice threatened growing closer with every word, a dark silhouette passing over the nearby wall as the torchlight shifted.

They had little time to react as they turned to face the bandit that had just walked in on them, a balding middle-aged man who was fairly built and garbed in a light fur armor that left his chest and stomach exposed allowing them to see the myriad of scars covering his body. At his side was a steel mace, dented and scratched but still more than capable of bashing heads in if needed.

The trio looked at each other in shock for a few moments before Ayeila snapped out of it, acting quickly she pulled back the string of her bow, her pre-readied arrow quickly sliding into place before with a sharp snap she unleashed her shot with devastating accuracy. There was no time to mount any sort of defense and they watched as a small squirt of blood spurt from the now prominent exit wound of the stocky man's throat. The steel tip easily carving through the soft flesh with a sickening squelch.

"_Urk! Gah!..._"

His body shivered and his hands instinctively drew themselves to his now bloody neck, gasps of air mixed with the slurry of blood and bile emanated from his convulsing form. As though his body was doing its damndest to reject the object sticking out of him but to no avail, reality bent to no mere man's will and with one last stomach-churning gurgle, the bandit hit the dirt with a heavy thud.

Less than ten minutes in and already they'd had to resort sending another soul to the great beyond...

Ayelia let out a sigh of relief and Naruto quickly made his way over to the now downed body, careful to avoid the blood pooling around the dead man's head. He frowned as he inspected the mountain of a man, he'd no doubt been an experienced warrior but this was a lesson that even experience couldn't save you every time. He searched the body for any clues to who this group was, a note, a symbol, even a tattoo but he found nothing of use other than a bit of coin and an empty flask.

They were still in the dark about all this.

"Can we just leave him here?" Ayelia asked crouching down beside him. "We could try moving his body?" She suggested unsure if it would be safe to just allow a body to sit out in the open. If anyone came up here there would be no question someone had discovered the outpost and that would almost assuredly raise the alarm.

"We'll likely track blood outside and we can't risk that..." He murmured before getting an idea. "For now let's just hide him with the dirt and trash, the bags are big enough that we should be able to keep him out of sight until we figure out what to do from here.

"And the blood?" She asked.

"We'll just have to make due, blood is suspicious but not nearly as much as a dead body." He kicked some dirt over the now reddish soil managing to disguise it somewhat. "Now help me move this guy."

The pair quickly hid the body away, making sure to cover their tracks as best they could before making their back out. Thankfully it seemed like their surprise visitor had come alone and the coast was still clear for them to move through at their own pace. They could see the next tunnel was a bit further down putting them in range of being spotted by the guards on the lower floor but with no other way to go they would just have to chance it, hugging the wall they slowly made their way over to the next opening. Their eyes were glued down to the nearest guard, sweat ran down their necks as they inched closer to their destination...

...

He didn't look up.

* * *

They swiftly poured into the next chamber's entrance though this time they were far quieter about it, they weren't looking for a repeat of the first chamber. Instead of being greeted by a makeshift room they were instead treated to a long tunnel, torches ran along its length illuminating the passage and driving their curiosity. Keeping low they pressed forward into this new branch and it didn't take them too long to come to an exit way.

Peering inside the two found their eyes narrowing.

Three large iron barged cages were set up towards the end of the room, their size and design made it pretty clear that they were meant to hold larger animals and more than likely, people. Guarding the cages were two more bandits, each sat upon rickety old wooden chairs faced towards the middle cage.

The pair shuffled in closer and managed to just barely peer past the two guards without being noticed and took a look at the center cage. Unlike the two others which were both thankfully empty, the center cage was home to only a single individual who apparently warranted two overseers.

Sat on their knees a young-looking human female glared furiously at the two guards watching over her. She was a beauty that much was undeniable, soft almost noble-looking features accentuated by her long flowing hair that black as midnight and cascaded freely down her back coupled a pair of sharp inky black eyes that ensured her glare was still quite imposing even given her position. She was garbed in full steel armor that at one point probably shone like stars but was now covered in dirt and muck from her prison stay, staining the once polished metal. Her hands were bound behind her back and she appeared to have been rough up slightly, with little scratches and cuts upon her pale skin.

She was probably the same age as him, maybe only a year or two older at most...

"Girlie you've been giving us the stink eye for the past four days give it a rest would ya?" One of the armed guards sighed kicking the bars to cage slightly with his foot. "Your little crusade failed, get over it." He grunted

She hissed and spit at the offending foot causing the guard to growl in annoyance. "You lot disgust me, where did your morals go?! Are gold and power so important to you that you'd gladly murder innocent people and use their bodies for your own gain?" She sneered.

The second guard, a brown-haired female wielding a war axe by her hip clicked her teeth and glared right back. "What we do isn't your business, you came down here to pick a fight and you lost. So do us all a favor and save your little speeches on morals for people who give a damn." She snarled.

"Tough talk coming from two spineless heathens, in fact, I don't recall a single one of you heretics facing me on your own." She taunted uncaring of her restrained position. "You all are nothing, and when I get out of here you can explain to the gods why you traded in salvation for a few coins from a bunch of monsters!"

"You bitch..." The female stood up and drew her axe. "You are only alive because we can make use of you! If I could I'd kill you myself!" She threatened, take a step towards the cage.

"Calm down Helga, don't get riled up because of one lousy prisoner." The male guard commented placing a hand upon his companion's shoulder. "She's powerless, it's not worth the effort." He advised. It seemed he was used to his partner's temper and knew how to keep her in line somewhat

She shook off his hand and huffed, sheathing her weapon as she did so. "Whatever, just keep her quiet or I'll take her damn head off, orders or not." She warned and returned to her seat though her body still twitched in a mixture of anger and annoyance.

From the shadows, Naruto and Ayelia watched the entire interaction with interest. While they may not have learned exactly what was going on they at least had a bit more to go off of than before.

"Please say we're taking these two down?" Ayelia whispered already lining up her shot on female guard.

"Of course we are, hopefully, we can make an ally of whoever this girl is, she seems to know quite a bit about these guys." He answered. He then slowly made his way around the sidewall, preparing to take out the male guard while Ayelia kept to the shadows her bow still trained on the sitting guard while she waited for the blond to get in position.

As he moved, he caught sight of the trapped warrior's gaze. The two locked eyes, black orbs boring into blue for a brief moment before he quickly held a single finger to his lips as he made his way closer to his target. Catching on, she quickly averted her gaze back to her captors who were still none the wiser to the approaching danger.

"Three... two..." He whispered and angled his sword for a quick and clean kill. "One..." He steeled himself and thrust forward, pushing past any resistance as his blade served its purpose.

_Schlick!/Fwump!_

Arrow and blade found their mark and drove through their respective targets without mercy. Ayelia's arrow had driven itself through her targets skull with ruthless efficiency, killing her before the woman had likely realized she'd even been attacked. Meanwhile, Naruto's blade had easily cut through his bandit's flesh, its sharpened steel edge driving right through the man's lung and out his chest.

Pulling out his blade with a wet squelch, he watched impassively as the body quickly crumpled to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut, glassy eyes looking to the heavens with a final expression of pain and bewilderment. He would never get used to that but this was no time to feel remorse...

He quickly grabbed a pair of keys off their corpses while Ayelia stepped out of the shadows and into the light revealing her presence though she made sure she to hang back and keep her bow aimed at the tunnel entrance just in case they had some unwanted visitors.

"Sorry about that but I don't think they would have taken too kindly to use snooping around." He apologized quickly undoing the lock holding the mysterious brunette captive and working to untie her.

"They will receive no pity from me." She answered looking over the course with little more than indifference. "They had their chance and they made their choices, the gods will judge them as they see fit." She answered rubbing her wrists as the ropes fell away allowing her to move once again.

"However, I must ask who are you two and why have you freed me?" She questioned looking over the two, taking a particular interest in Ayelias ears before looking back at him. "I do not recall having met either of you before?" She spoke somewhat forcefully trying to get a read on their intentions showing she did not fully trust them.

"We're adventurers I suppose." He said holding his hands up peacefully to show he meant no harm. "We caught wind of a band of those undead skeletons attacking a camp and we followed them back here hoping to put a stop to it." He explained.

"I see..." Her features softened slightly and she sounded slightly apologetic. "Forgive my tone, these past few days have worn on me more than I care to admit." She apologized offering a slight bow to express her honesty.

"It's fine, no harm done but what are _you_ doing down here and who are you exactly?" He asked.

"Forgive me, my name is Vivian Pentaghast!" She puffed up her chest as she said so showing pride in her name. "First daughter of Lord Arthur Pentaghast and a proud Paladin Knight of Kings Folly!" She introduced.

"Kings Folly? That's miles from here though, why would you be all the way out here?" Kings Folly was one of the nine major holds but to reach it from here would take weeks at best!

"Aye, I did not intend to come this far but I had to follow a lead on some quarry I am hunting." Her ebony eyes narrowed in anger. "No doubt you have noticed the sickening amount of undead that are within this cave?"

"It's kind of hard not to." Ayelia snarked still keeping watch. "I take it they have to do with whoever you're looking for?"

"Yes." Vivian nodded. "There had been word of a sudden spike in grave robberies throughout this half of the region and so I was dispatched to find out more information. Investigating the actual sites led me to believe the actions were more than just some petty thieves looking to steal from the dead and more than likely the work of _necromancers_." She practically spat the word as though it were a vile poison.

"I see and so do you think this might be the source?" He asked.

"No." She shook her head dark tresses waving slightly as she did so. "But the culprit is here, he or she is lending their magic to the leader of this sorry lot for some reason or another."

"Do you know why?" He asked.

"I'm not fully clued into what exactly they want but I will tell you what I know based on what I heard when they captured me." She offered. "Here is what they said..."

_**-Flashback Start-**_

_"How the hell did she get in here?!" _

_"We don't know sir!" A portly bandit answered throwing a now tied up Vivian to the floor before his leader. "She just burst in swinging and glowing like the brightest torch I'd ever seen and took down more than a few of em boneheads and fleshies before one of em managed to sneak up on her." He answered. "She's a tough one sir so we thought we'd bring her to you instead of just killin er."_

_She glared defiantly at the two figures standing before her prone form, the first being the bandit leader. A man getting on in his years judging by the streak of gray peppering his raven locks, his unshaven stubble and the worn look in his coal-black eyes that held the tales of many adventures and exploits within. He was dressed in black leather armor and by his hip rested a short blade bound with a leather strap. He was somewhat lanky but he exuded an aura of authority that no doubt inspired his men to follow in his lead._

_The second hooded figure standing towards the back had more of her interest. Their features were obscured by a long brown cloak and even in the light, their facial features were shrouded in unnatural darkness, like that of an endless void that sent shivers down her spine. She held no doubts that this was the person responsible for the robberies, she would have cursed them had she not been gagged before entry._

_"Like I didn't have enough problems..." The leader sighed in a haggard tone of voice as he ran a hand across his stubble taking solace in the pricking of his hair upon his skin. "Leave us, I'll figure out what to do with her in a moment." He ordered and the two men at her side quickly made their way out leaving her alone with the two other occupants._

_..._

_"So, I take it you're not here for a friendly check up, are you?" He asked turning to the mysterious figure who had remained silent up to this point. "Come to get our opinions on those 'servants' you dropped in our lap?"_

_"No." A distorted voice scratched its way out of the void where a face should have been as the figure turned to look at the man in charge. "I am here because you have tested my master's patience. The lack of progress made in this region has shaken their trust in you and so I have been dispatched to see things along... again." _

_"Look, things don't always go according to plan. You've read the reports-"_

_"I have and I am displeased to see how a group such as this has failed in almost every task assigned to you." The figure interrupted with a hint of mockery in their tone. "You were chosen for supposed skill, decretion, and specialties and yet here we stand and you've accomplished nothing." If a void could sneer she imagined it probably would be right about now._

_"Redpoint, Bleakcrest, and Mistmire... three assignments and three failures." _

_"No one said shit about Bleakcrests forests being haunted, not a single scout ever returned!" The leader growled. "Not once did you mention whatever the fuck is wrong with Mistmire either, a whole raiding party was gone in less than an hour!" He bellowed standing to his full height. "The number of men I lost in those two operations alone-"_

_"You understood the dangers and you accepted the job regardless." The figure cut off not even bothering to look at the man. "My master could care less for the lives of your men and as such I am uninterested in your losses, my only concern is pushing our plans forward." The mysterious figure walked over to their onlooker and inspected her for a few moments before turning back to face the practically shaking leader. "We took on the burden of aiding you the Redpoint operation and still you failed, your 'trained goblins' did little more than blow up a portion of their wall and start a few fires. A far cry from what you were paid to do."_

_"Last I checked we aren't the only ones you have operating out here, what happened to that psycho you hired?" He questioned. "She could have easily handled these jobs or assisted us."_

_"She is not suited to our needs for this task, you supposedly were... though it seems we were mistaken to think so." The figure responded easily. "So from here on out, I will be lending my assistance to see what can be salvaged from these failures."_

_The figure glanced at her for a few more moments before turning away and walking off into the dark. "Keep her restrained and unharmed for now, I may be able to find a use for her later." They intoned before making their way out, seemingly vanishing into the shadows as though they were never there to begin with._

_"Tsk... First chance I get..." The bandit leader scowled and turned to her with a cross look in his eyes. "Guess you'll be staying with us girly, try not to cause any more trouble or you might have an 'unavoidable' accident." He threatened. _

_She merely glared harder._

_She would show these heathens her fury yet, she just needed to be patient._

_**-Flashback End-**_

"That's all I managed to uncover from those two." She explained going over her time under hold. "Whatever it is they are doing here spells disaster for the people of this region and I intend to put a stop to it!"

Naruto and Ayelia gave each other worried looks as they went over Vivian's story. This was much bigger than they'd initially thought, to think the major towns were all being targeted for something and no one even knew was... concerning, to say the least.

_How long would they have gone unnoticed?_

"They said they had an operation at Mistmire... do you know what they are talking about?" He asked. He had been present at Redpoint so he doubted she would know anything he didn't already know, and the pair had just come from Bleakcrest and they knew for a fact it wasn't haunted per se.

"Sadly no, I took the land route rather than a boat so I have yet to visit the town but way the leader spoke when referencing it does make me concerned. As does the supposedly haunted forests surrounding Bleakcrest." She answered.

"You don't need to worry about Bleakcrest, we handled that before coming all the way out here but our next destination was Mistmire..." He frowned to himself as he realized they were more than likely in for some shenanigans going forward.

"You did? Was it actually haunted?" She asked curiously.

"It was nothing but an overgrown weed, nothing remotely haunted about it." Ayelia huffed earning a confused look from Vivian and an amused look from her blond partner who did his best to hide his laughter at the irritation in the elf's voice.

"We'll explain it later but right now we need to figure out what to do about all this." He said bringing the group back to attention. "Do you know anything that'll help us stop this or will we just have to fight our way out of this?"

Vivian paused to think for a few moments before seemingly remembering something. "While I was locked away there was a particularly chatty heathen who mentioned there is a generous supply of explosives cached in the lower levels, we could perhaps use those to bring the entire place down upon them." She suggested.

"A bit risky but that would put an end to this den for sure, or at the very least set them back months." He nodded but frowned. "But you said they are on the lower levels, the ones crawling with undead and guards?"

"Yes, we will almost certainly have to fight our way over to it but I can handle the abominations." She said seriously, her fists glowing with a soft golden light that mesmerized the two before it faded. "If I can get a hold of my sword and shield than we will almost assuredly come out victorious!" She promised.

"And where would those be exactly?" Ayeila asked.

"Where else but the leader's chambers." She replied causing them to look between one another. "My equipment is not something so cheap as to be left for just anyone to take and there is no questions he is aware of that. If anyone has them, he does." She assured.

"I take it his quarters are also down on the lower floors?" He asked with a sigh knowing this was going to be less than pleasant for all parties involved.

"Hehe..." Vivian has the decency to offer a sheepish smile, a slight flush of embarrassment gracing her normally sharp features. "Perhaps."

"Of course it is..." He sighed before allowing a determined grin to grace his face. "Guess it doesn't matter regardless, one way or another this ends today."

Vivian smiled and nodded. "Before we begin I must ask your names, I would like to know the names of comrades." She asked looking at the two of them for a proper introduction.

"Oh right, sorry!" He quickly apologized. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki and this is my partner, Ayelia Telvoth." He introduced offering his hand for a shake while in the background Ayelia offered a friendly nod towards the Paladin.

Vivian internalized the names before smiling and taking the outstretched hand in hers, clasping it firmly in her grip and offering a hearty shake. "It is a pleasure to meet you both, may the gods watch over us in this endeavor!" She greeted enthusiastically, her cheerful persona clashing with her rather stern appearance but they could feel her words were genuine and they couldn't help but find her energy infectious.

Impromptu as it was, the three of them were now a team and for better or worse they were going to put this threat down for good.

_No matter what it took._

* * *

**AN. Chapter Complete!**

**Bandit leaders, mysterious figures, undead warriors, and trapped Paladins! That's definitely a lot to cover but we shall do it nonetheless!**

**Apologies this has taken me a bit, with college around the corner I have been busy preparing and so I haven't had as much time to write as I would like. I think a lot of authors are in a similar position at the moment as well sadly but what can you do. I don't know what my workload will be this semester but I will try and write when I can so no worries there!**

**Anyway, let's talk about the chapter! I mentioned last time that for people who didn't care much about lemons or weren't super happy the mystery of the last chapter wasn't more dangerous, that I would address both of those in the next story and here we are. I know this chapter wasn't filled to the brim with action but it's mostly the set up to the upcoming chapters which will no doubt be quite a spectacle so I do hope you are looking forward to it!**

**Now onto some of the points I covered in this chapter:**

**Necromancy, yes it's a thing in this world. Like I mentioned before, magic is going to be very versatile in this and there will be different ways of utilizing it be it good or bad. I do plan to one day clarify the types of magic that can appear both to help the character and the audience understand its limits better but for now, you'll just have to take my word on it. I do plan to flesh out necromancy in this story so it won't be as simple as throwing a ball of magic at a corpse and voila, walking servant. I like to add a bit of complexity to stuff but I also don't want to bog down the story with explanations too much from the outset.**

**Vivian Pentaghast:**

**Vivian, to nip any ideas of this in the bud right now, will NOT be joining Naruto's group. I don't know if I said it before but if I haven't Naruto's group will be made up of (excluding Ayelia) Monster Girls. I just want to be clear on this for people who see her character and think that she would make a good fit. I don't want to talk too much on her for spoiler reasons but I still wanted you to know that. I think her abilities will be a good hint of how powerful human characters could potentially become and in turn give some small hints as to where Naruto himself might end up (no he won't be a paladin type character)**

**The Plot:**

**Not saying anything on this, you guys seem to enjoy a mystery and intrigue so I'll leave it vague for now, but you are more than free to speculate and give your thoughts if you wish but I won't be confirming or denying anything until I feel we've progressed more. **

**Lemons:**

**There will be none for this little arc, I want to pace them out a bit so for the perverts out there you'll have to wait but in the meantime, you still have the three others you can read until we get around to the next one! In regards to if Vivian will be a romance option I honestly don't know, I didn't plan for her to be but you never know, I don't even know if people will like her so I'm not going to make any decisions on that right now.**

**Anyway, that is all from me for right now! Please leave me your thoughts in the review and you can always PM me with ideas or suggestions if you'd like. Let me know what Monster Girl or just Monster you'd think would be fun to see show up in the future and maybe it'll show up. Let me know if I made any contradictions in what I wrote, I work on this alone for the most part so things occasionally slip past me, just send me a message and I will try and correct them when I can.**

**I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	8. Lights in The Dark

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my ideas and characters, everything else belongs to their original creators!**

**Welcome back! It has been a little bit due to life stuff but I am back with yet another chapter. I had honestly forgotten where I was going with this chapter so I had to spend a bit of time figuring out where I wanted to go from here but I think things turned out alright. I hope you guys are doing well and looking forward to the spooks of Halloween! I also apologize if there are a few more mistakes than usual I am trying to get this out a bit early because I am about to be lacking in free time for a few weeks. I will try and fix glaring problems where I can when I have the chance!**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and as always I will see you down at the bottom of the chapter!**

* * *

"So what's the plan here exactly?"

Ayelia's question quickly snapped the trio out of their little feel-good moment bringing them back to the present. They knew their objectives but how to go about accomplishing them was the real question, getting to the explosives and reclaiming Vivian's stolen weapons would no doubt prove to be quite a challenge.

"It is simple!" Vivian declared punching her gauntlet covered fist into her open palm, the young paladin practically radiated excitement and determination from her pores. "We will fight our way down into the depths where our objectives are. From there one of us will prepare the bombs while the others grab the items we need and after we have secured them we will make our escape!" She explained, nodding her head along proudly as she went over her plan.

_It was full proof!_

...

"Is that what I sound like when I make plans?" He asked, quietly looking towards a very unamused and visually exasperated Ayelia who appeared to be mere seconds away from bashing her head in with a nearby rock. While he admired her enthusiam he had to admit that her plan was a bit... lacking, so to speak.

"No... unlike you, it actually sounds like she _believes_ what she's saying will work." She groaned wondering why of all the humans in the world she was forced to interact with she got stuck with some of the most reckless. "That sounds like suicide." She answered bluntly sending a less than impressed looked towards the ebony-haired paladin.

Vivian whose chest had previously been puffed up with pride in her plan quickly deflated at their mutual skepticism a slight flush of embarrassment gracing her cheeks. "My plan isn't suicidal!" She pouted looking less like an imposing servant of the gods and more like a petulant child. "I've had days to think about this and I assure you that I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't believe it would work!" She defended.

"You are aware your plan boils down to aggravate every living and undead soul in this entire place, set off bombs, and hope to make it out alive with all your stuff and ending the threat?" He recapped dryly. He knew that he shouldn't cast stones given his own less than amazing planning abilities but this was a stretch even for him.

"Well, when you say it like that it sounds simple." She pouted poking her fingers together meekly. She looked like a kicked puppy...

"That's because it is." Ayelia sighed rubbing her temples in a poor attempt to stave off an oncoming migraine. "If we go down there we will almost assuredly be overwhelmed." She pointed out. If it was just the bandits they had to deal with she actually wouldn't be that worried but with the swarms of undead crawling about...

"We won't!" She countered. "I almost took down these heathen on my own, with your help we should have no problems clearing out the rest. If I can just get a hold of my stolen equipment the rest will fall into line." Her confidence was unshakable, she truly believed this was the best course of action.

Naruto was silent for a bit weighing up the pros and cons of this plan. On one hand, Ayelia had a point. There was no way they'd be able to hang around on the lower floor for long without being spotted and likely swarmed soon after and he wasn't sure what their odds were against such a hoard. On the other hand, Vivian had been down here longer than they had and supposedly mounted a somewhat successful attack on her own. Perhaps with their help, they might actually be more successful...

"How about a compromise?" He offered after a few moments of thinking.

"You have a different plan?" Vivian asked curiously.

"Kind of, we'll still follow your general plan but with some tweaks. We might be able to get more time to uncover what's going on as well as grab everything we need to shut this all down." He explained. "How about instead of going in loud, we try a quieter approach that won't give them time to respond?" He suggested.

"How exactly would we do that?" Ayelia asked. "There is no way to reach the bottom floor without being seen." She reminded him, recalling how they only made it this far without being caught with some quick thinking and more than a bit of luck.

"Not unless they think we're bandits too." He grinned. "We have enough outfits here that we could easily disguise ourselves and make our way into the camp without any issues." He reasoned catching the pair off guard who hadn't considered that angle of approach.

"You don't seriously think that'll work?" Ayelia asked cautiously. While she could see the merits in that plan she couldn't just ignore the risks either.

"I don't see why not?" He shrugged. "I doubt everyone here knows each other well enough that a few new faces will cause much alarm. As long as we don't draw attention to ourselves I bet we could slip right in and get a better look at this place without having to fight for our lives while we do it." He explained. With skeletons and half-decayed bodies shambling through the tunnels, their presence would be tame by comparison, hardly worth noting.

Vivian seemed to consider it for a few moments before nodding enthusiastically. "That is a splendid idea! However, and I mean no disrespect when I say this but Ayelia doesn't exactly..." She gestured to the elf and the rather prominent pair of ears and snow-white hair she was sporting. "Fit in." She finished offering an apologetic look for her somewhat unkind words.

Ayelia frowned and gently rubbed her ears and flipped her hair. "I didn't choose these you know." She huffed.

Vivian bowed apologetically. "I don't mean anything by it!" She tried to explain to the now depressed elf who was currently kicking her foot into the dirt and muttering something about "Large ears" and "Inconsiderate humans".

For someone so prideful she sure did get offended easily...

"Vivian does raise a fair point though, we'll either need to do something about your hair and ears or you'll have to stay on the upper levels and keep an eye out instead." He frowned. He didn't like the idea of leaving her alone but they would almost assuredly be caught if these bandits noticed an elf just strolling freely through the tunnels.

"Maybe she could wear some kind of hat or head wrapping?" Vivian suggested. "Assuming that wouldn't cause her any pain of course!" She added quickly.

Ayelia sighed and pulled up her ears with her fingers, the long appendages flexing slightly but otherwise remained mostly in place. "At best I could perhaps have them flattened with a bandana." She admitted. It wouldn't be comfortable by any means but if it allowed her to contribute as something other than just being a scout she would suffer it, It's not like it would hurt all that much.

"Alright, so with that out of the way how do we want to split the teams?" He gave them both a glance as he wracked his brain to find the best fit. "If we all go together we'll look suspicious so it'll be better if we move in smaller units." He proposed. "We can split up into one group of two while one of us moves solo."

"That makes sense I suppose... but who will do what?" Vivian asked.

He pointed at the two girls on his side. "I think you and Ayelia should form the pair and try to get a handle on her missing stuff, meanwhile I'll go off on my own and try to find these explosives and get them ready for our big escape." He suggested.

"Why do you have to go alone?" Ayelia asked, her green eyes narrowed at the blond. She had a bit of a complex about leaving him alone after the events at Bleakcrest. "Any one of us could go off on our own."

"Because It makes the most sense for me to go solo. Of the three of us, I stand out the least comparatively." He reasoned. "They don't know me like they do Vivian and I don't have any real standout features like you that can't easily be covered up. A quick change of clothes and a bit of well-placed dirt and you might as well call me the perfect bandit." He explained.

"Besides you two cover each other well. If you are discovered Vivan seems like she excels at close-quarter combat while you can handle any long-range enemies or more serious threats from afar." He then turned to their newest companion. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle all those undead down there if we get caught?" He asked.

Vivian nodded. "Worry not, with my skills such lowly creatures will be of no challenge. Once my items are returned to me I will show you the true power of a Paladin Knight!" She promised with the utmost confidence.

"Let's hope we don't need it." He said but nodded nonetheless.

"Question. How will we know when to regroup and get out of here?" Ayelia asked with a small frown. The last thing she wanted was to bring this whole place down with them still inside. "Should we come up with some kind of signal or..." She trailed off looking between the two.

"Assuming we get caught the commotion alone should be more than enough of a signal for me to light the fuse and make our way out." He reasoned but she made a fair point. "If we don't, then come meet with me after your finished and we'll light the explosives together, at which point we'll just make our way out as fast as possible."

The pair nodded and he grinned.

"Let's get started then!"

...

* * *

"Is it wrong to say I feel a bit... naked, without my usual armor.?" Vivian said softly as she and Ayelia slowly made their way down into the lower caverns first. "I'm not used to being this... revealed." She finished, fidgeting slightly in her temporary attire. She was used to sturdy metal plating, not loose-fitting furs and leather.

"It probably has more to do with the fact that you might as well not be wearing a top at all." Ayelia said looking the incognito paladin over. The young woman had the misfortune of being stuck with one of the more "fleshy" outfits that showed off her rather toned stomach and arms. If not for the fur wrapping around her modest chest she'd be completely bare from the waist up. How bandits felt comfortable is so little was beyond her.

She had thankfully gotten something a bit more decent comparatively, dressed in a slightly heavier fur armor that covered up most of her top barring her arms and simple fur combat skirt that didn't restrict her at all. She'd tied a brown cloth around her head which thankfully managed to keep her ears and most of her hair in check.

"Just... try not to move too much, okay?" She huffed, trying to keep the hint of jealousy she was feeling at bay. Why the hell was every girl they encountered bigger than her?! Was it something in her diet? Maybe more protein would help?

"I shall do my best!" Vivian replied before clamming up as they reached the end of the descending scaffolding. There was no going back from here if they got caught they would just have to fight it out.

The overseeing guard quickly snapped his eyes to the pair and for a moment the two felt their hearts stop dead in their chests. He wasn't an intimidating man by any means if anything he was rather plain, with dirty brown hair and narrowed eyes of the same color. He didn't even seem to be all that tough, but plain or not he had the power to cause every soul in here to come down on them in an instant.

He watched them carefully for a few moments, his grim scowl lightening up a bit at the flesh on display as a small hint of pink colored his cheeks before he quickly coughed into his fist and turned his attention elsewhere in an attempt to cover his leering. His sharp eyes moving over a passing group of undead carrying supplies down one of the many tunnels being constructed. He seemed to be just as unsettled by their presence as she and Vivian were, and so it hadn't taken too much work for them to quickly slip past before he decided to take a closer look.

Mixing in with a passing group of workers the two entered one of the tunnels but allowed themselves to fall naturally behind and regroup.

"I can't believe that actually worked." Ayelia sighed allowing a quiet but deep breath to escape as they took a moment to center themselves.

Vivian nodded with a smirk. "It seems Naruto's guess was right after all. They must go through so many recruits and workers that even the guards can't keep track of everyone here. I thought for sure we'd be caught right away."

"It probably helps that these guys seem to be on edge with all these undead walking around. Not that I can really blame them..." She trailed off watching a passing skeleton lumber on by, the now familiar creak of bones grinding together echoing mutely through the dirt caverns.

"We will deal with them in time but we must find my weapons first." Vivian urged stepping back to the mouth of the tunnel entrance. "But with so many options where would we even start?"

Ayelia frowned and made her way over to join the paladin. "Your guess was that your stuff is likely being kept by the man in charge so..." Emerald green eyes quickly scanned over the many tunnel openings. "It stands to reason that whichever tunnels have the least people entering them have a better chance of leading to his personal quarters. After all what kind of bandit leader hangs out with the underlings?"

"Fair point." She agreed and the two began making note of all the least active tunnels, narrowing down their search area to hopefully speed the whole process along.

However, neither were aware of the pair of hollowed-out eye sockets watching them from afar before lumbering off back into the dark.

_**-With Naruto-**_

"Why the hell is fur so itchy?" He complained making his way down a few minutes after he'd watched Ayelia and Vivian pass unbothered. He'd had to run back to the first tunnel and retrieve his outfit which unfortunately was covered in dirt and grime but at the very least fit him well enough.

It didn't take him long to make his way down and just like his companions before him he was quickly under scrutiny from the overseeing guard posted at the lower level. He held back a nervous shiver and just kept walking as if he belonged here, he'd covered up his whiskers and rubbed a bit of dirt into hair to darken it somewhat to help him stand out a bit less.

_Just keep calm and he should just let you g-_

"Hey! You there!" The guard called out, pushing off the wooden support beam he'd been leaning against to make his way over to the blond. "Come here!" He barked sternly leaving no room for argument forcing the blond to change his path.

_Oh for the love of!-_

"Y-Yes, sir!" He wasn't sure if his cover was blown or not so it wouldn't do for him to reveal himself if he didn't have to. "Is something wrong?" He asked intentionally adding a bit of weakness to his voice to keep up the act of some random grunt. Bandits, even as unorganized as they were did have some chain of command and it wouldn't do for him to make his presence known too early.

"Sir? You are definitely new blood if you are calling me sir." He snorted but there was a slight smirk on his face that showed he quietly enjoyed the authority of such a title. "What the hell were you doing up there? Break time isn't for another hour and I know you aren't stupid enough to be slacking off now, are ya?" He questioned with a hint of a threat in his voice.

_Thank the gods, this could still be salvaged!_

He shook his head. "No, sir." He said playing into the man's ego. "I just thought I misplaced something of mine on the upper level and took a moment to pop in and check before it got nabbed or tossed. I'm not trying to skip out on work or anything." He lied maintaining his meek persona.

"Hn. Good then, I would hate to have to crack ya head open for disobeying orders. We got enough boneheads and corpses walking around as is." He grunted while sending a disgusted look towards the shambling horrors making their rounds through the many tunnel openings.

Naruto paused as this piece of info, this might be a good chance to learn more about these guys! A common topic of interest might loosen this guy's lips a bit.

"About that sir... no one mentioned there would be so many..." He gestured towards the corpses. "Ya know..." He didn't need to say much else as the pair unconsciously shivered as a stumbling corpse wandered a bit too close for comfort. The smell of rot causing them to backpedal a bit.

The guard snorted and waved his hand to disperse the odor. "Of course not! Hard to keep numbers up if everyone knows we might as well be running a fucking graveyard down here." He sneered at the thought. "How do you think we felt? Just woke up one day and the boss tells us we gotta work with the damn things and anyone who complained quickly found themselves joining them." There was a clear bitterness to his words that showed just how distasteful he found the whole situation to be.

"But why are they here?" He asked.

"Cause we're in a bad way right now..." He answered with a scowl. "Fucked up some easy jobs and now apparently we need a babysitter, one that has some kinda fetish for the dead I guess." He grunted then waved the blond off. "You'll learn about the rest later just get back to work before you get us both in trouble." He warned shoving the blond towards one of the many tunnels and walking back to his post.

"Not where I intended to go but fine..." He whispered and quickly made himself scarce to avoid another close call. "I didn't learn anything from that I didn't already hear from Vivian. Guess I'll need to do some more snooping where I can but for now I need to get an idea of where those explosives are."

Making his way down further into the tunnel he soon came across an opening where quite a few of these bandits were hard at work digging and mining away. Some were sitting down taking a short break to catch their breath while others kept at it, their shovels and pickaxes cutting slowly through layer after layer of earth and rock. It somewhat amazed him that a bunch of outlaws could even be persuaded to work like this. Most people became bandits and raiders to _avoid _hard work so see this was a bit worrying.

"Quite your gawking and pick up an axe boy!"

He quickly snapped to attention as a gruff voice began barking orders in his direction. An older looking man with faded looking gray hair scowled in his direction as he stoically oversaw the rest of the thugs' work.

"Are you deaf or just stupid? I said hurry it up maggot or do I need to knock you around some to get you moving?" He growled patting the flail on his hip to emphasize his point.

"S-Sorry!" He swiftly made his way over and grabbed the nearest free pickax before joining the huffing men in their task. It seemed he would need to wait a bit before seeking out the bombs. He just hopped Vivan and Ayelia were having an easier time than he was...

_**-With Ayelia and Vivian-**_

"Another dead end." Vivian frowned as they came face to face with a sturdy wall of stone and dirt that marked the end of this particular tunnel and more annoyingly the third dead end they'd come across in their search. "Just how many tunnels have they dug?"

Ayelia sighed and adjusted her headwear a bit, fighting the urge to rip it off entirely. "I don't know but we can't go on like this, the longer we spend wandering around the more likely we are to be noticed and that's the last thing we need right now." She had already noticed quite a few of the cave's inhabitants sending some strange looks their way and it was starting to make her uncomfortable.

Well, more uncomfortable than she already was.

"We still have two more tunnels to check out before we'll have to rethink our first plan." Vivian spun on her heel and began walking back towards the tunnel entrance seemingly unbothered by the lack of progress. "Hopefully the Gods favor us this day and bless us with success." She nodded confidently and offered a quiet prayer under her breath while Ayelia followed along beside her.

"I'll take anything at this point so sure why not." She sighed, giving a small prayer of her own just for the sake of it.

Making their way back out into the open the pair hugged the nearby wall for a few moments before hanging left and briskly entering one the last remaining tunnel entrances they'd yet to explore. Making their way through the dirt cavern and into a new section of the underground structure where they hoped to find some kind of lead.

But before that, they would need to figure out which of these tunnels to take.

"So... do we go left or right?" Ayelia pondered as she turned to face her temporary companion who had begun pacing at the entrances of the two offshoots. "Should we just flip a coin and pick?"

Vivian thought about it for a few moments before offering her own suggestion. "We could perhaps split up and cover more ground?" She offered, it would allow them to search both tunnels while saving time.

"No." Ayelia's reply was swift and immediate, she'd had enough of this splitting up business with Naruto and it never went well, they would be going together and that was final. "We can do both just pick a direction and we'll start there." She ordered peering into the tunnels cautiously.

Vivian pouted somewhat at the quick refusal but nodded nonetheless. "Very well, then I believe we should go right!" She stated while making her way into the rightmost tunnel while keeping her hand on her temporary weapon just in case. She had the advantage over petite wood elf in these confined spaces so she made sure to keep on guard.

The pair waded into the dimly lit tunnels quietly, the benefits of their lighter armor allowing them to move almost silently through the cavern while they pushed deeper into the earth. It was unnerving to think that at any second a support beam could give in and thousands of pounds of dirt and stone could trap or even crush them.

For Ayelia who was more naturally attuned with open spaces and freedom of movement, such confinement wore heavily at her nerves but she held fast. Vivian was not nearly as bothered but even she would quietly admit that she was not very fond of being so deep under the earth. Her training had prepared her for such trials but that didn't make her any more comfortable with the experience.

After what felt like hours of walking the two rounded a corner with bated breath, they didn't think they could handle yet another dead end and so with hope in their hearts they turned their attention to the wall before them and came across...

A door.

Nothing elaborate or fancy, a dark wooden door with a dirty bronze knob and a small keyhole for locking but to them, it was a positive sign of some human presence. At this point, even a forgotten storeroom would be a welcome find compared to the sight of picked stone and packed dirt.

"_GOD DAMN IT!_"

The pair nearly yelped in fright as the sound of shouting erupted from behind the door, the voice slightly muffled but still easily discardable from the outside. They could just barely make out the sound of pacing and thrashing, as thought items were being picked up and thrown about the room.

Ayelia held a hand to her lips and quietly crouched down to and shuffled over to the door, cautiously bringing her eye level to keyhole she pressed up against the door and peered inside...

* * *

_**-With Naruto-**_

"Work faster you good for nothing maggots! I've seen newborns with more spirit than you louts!"

Naruto grumbled quietly under his breath as he half-listened to the tirade of verbal abuse being hurled their way. He'd very quickly pieced together that this tunnel was for the newbies, greenhorns to this band of misfits that needed to be broken in and put to work with the hardest of the labor.

Looking around he could see a lot of younger faces, men and women being worked like dogs but doing their best not to complain lest they end up on the receiving end of their overseer's flail.

Speaking of which...

Blue eyes drifted over to the man watching over them, an imposing figure even with his age. His name, which he'd heard muttered amongst the curses of his 'fellow bandits', was Havel. Not the most menacing name but he more than made up for it in his cruelty and demeanor.

He watched with barely restrained disgust as the man stuck one of the slower workers with the back of his hand, the smaller male falling to the earth stunned at the abrupt and unexpected blow while Havel pressed his heavy boot upon the man's chest and sneered. While he felt little pity for those that would ally themselves with criminals he would admit feeling a small amount of remorse for those left under the 'care' of old Havel.

"Oi, runt!" Havel turned to him and glared with his dark black eyes and his ever-present scowl. "You eyeballing me? I'm not seeing a lot of digging from you, what's wrong are your arms tired?" He let out a mocking laugh as he kicked the man he was standing over before he began walking towards him. "I can help with that, you won't even be able to feel em when I'm done."

Naruto had to bite the inside of his cheek to silence any retort as he watched the imposing male slowly approach him. He wasn't supposed to draw attention but he sure as hell wasn't about to end up on the floor with a boot to his chest from so overgrown thug of all things.

"No sir, just watching the lesson that's all." He said trying to play into the role of an obedient bandit. "Didn't mean any disrespect."

Havel frowned.

"Fuck are you, some kind of bootlicker?" He spat and kept up his slow stroll towards the blond who had turned to face him knowing better than the leave his back undefended. "If you want to learn so bad why don't I give you a personal lesson then?" He grinned cruelly and Naruto was under no illusions about that a 'personal lesson' would entail.

"I'd rather pass if its all the same to you, sir." He answered tightening his grip on his pick.

"Hehe... you'd rather pass..." Havel chuckled as he glared down on the blond who could now get a clear look at the towering figure standing before him.

Havel was... big. There really wasn't any other way to put it, he was a tower built to last with worn battle scars marking up his body like badges of honor. He wore little, just a pair of leather trousers and shoes and a belt for his trusty flail that hung at his hip. His grey hair was messy and frazzled giving him a somewhat wild appearance that was made more intimidating by his aged look. He almost seemed like a rabid animal in the dim light of these caverns.

"You make me laugh, you know that? A little comedian eager to please, if I'd met you on the street I'd probably mistake you for a wandering jester." Havel jeered peering down at him as if trying to lay him bare.

"Glad I can entertain you then, sir." He gave a forced smile while around them he could see his fellow workers looking upon him with pity and apprehension as he was now mere inches away from the temperamental overseer. "Never thought I was that funny but thank you."

"Really? Then what do you think you are, _boy_?" He questioned leaning into the blond's personal space. "If you aren't a comedian then just what the fuck are you?"

Naruto said nothing for a few moments before steeling his gaze and replying. "I'd say I'm a fighter, sir." He answered evenly and he could hear murmurs erupt from the onlooking crowd at what was almost certainly the _wrong _answer to give to a man like Havel.

Havel bellowed with laughter, his broad shoulders flexing as he leaned back slightly in his fit of amusement. His deep baritone chuckles drowned out the sound of metal striking stone as he fought to bring himself under control.

Eventually, the laughter stopped and he was face to face with a grinning Havel. "So you think you're a fighter, huh?"...

"Prove it."

That was the only warning he would receive before he swiftly found a calloused fist burying itself right into his unguarded cheek and he was sent crashing back into the wall behind him with a dull thud.

_**-With Ayelia and Vivian-**_

Peering through the hole Ayleia watched what could only be the leader of this group of bandits throw a tantrum within his private chambers.

"It's always something..." He growled before reigning in his anger as he leaned over a cluttered table. She could faintly see what looked like a map which she assumed was of the surrounding area a gleaming dagger stabbed into the wood beside it.

She took a moment to scan the room and to her surprise, it was rather spartan, she had expected jewels and gold to line the shelves but where she expected gold and finery she found nothing. She spotted a chest tucked away in the far corner but her view was limited and she couldn't make out too much.

She did, however, spot what looked to be the hilt of a blade and the edge of an ornate shield slumped along the opposite corner and she was willing to bet those were Vivian's confiscated weapons.

But then how were they going to get in there?...

"Do you always throw a tantrum when things don't go your way?"

Ayelia's eyes widened when a shadowed figure stepped forward from the shadows, covered head to toe in a dark cloak she couldn't get even the slightest glimpse of even the most basic features and the voice was so distorted that she couldn't tell their gender.

"I have a door you know, you could use it." He growled not even bothered by the sudden appearance of the shadowy figure. "Though given your attitude towards morals I don't doubt you don't care much for manners either."

The figure spared a glance towards the door and for a moment Ayelia felt her heart stop as she glanced into the void that occupied the space where a face should have sat. She could see no eyes yet it felt as though the void was looking _through _her, its empty gaze locked onto the wooden barrier separating them for a few moments too long before the figure turned its attention back to the rooms another occupant.

"You may think what you wish of me but I do not care, I am only here to see what progress you've made in fixing your lacking performance." The figure practically glided over towards the table standing just opposite of the rogue leader. "I have given you plenty of time to come up with a suitable plan of action."

The rouge frowned.

"I can only plan so far ahead when I don't know what I'm up against." He rebuked crossing his arms and staring unflinchingly at the figure across from him. "I have just enough men to attempt another raid on Redpoint within the week, more than enough if you'll lend us some of your 'pets'." He informed while he tapped the map with his knuckle.

From behind the door, Ayelia frowned deeply at that little tidbit of information. Naruto would not take kindly to the knowledge that his home was once again a target, if anything he'd probably rush right back and offer his help if they couldn't stop this in time.

"That can be arranged, what of the other two locations?" The figure questioned.

"Bleakcrest is still a no go." He frowned and rubbed his stubble. "If anything it's gotten more treacherous to approach the town. Before I could at least count on a few of my men managing to make it back from the scouting parties. Now, we're lucky if we can even find the remains." He grit his teeth at that little tidbit.

"At least that weed is good for something..." She mumbled to herself, no doubt Venus had taken up the role as defender of Bleakcrest given her abilities would make it near impossible to sneak through the forest undetected.

"Tsk, what of Mistmire then?" The figured asked and though its voice was mangled and warped she suspected there was a hint of annoyance in their tone, but no one could really be sure.

"You already know the answer to that." He growled unwilling to face the shadowed figure that had moved to inspect the room silently. "We can't even get a good look at the place and I've had to pull my men back for things other than suicide missions."

"I see... I suppose we expected too much of you."

"You have the resources to assist in handling the problem but you refuse to lend them to us." The rouge grabbed the handle of the knife and pried it from the wood with ease, his dark eyes fixed upon the figure who stared back blankly. "If you have a problem with the pace we're moving at then how about getting off your ass and-"

"_Urk!_"

The rogue leader fell to the floor mid-sentence as if he'd suddenly collapsed under his own weight, sweat dripped in buckets down his brow as he convulsed and writhed against the dirt floor his jaw opened wide but no sound escaped his parted lips but she could see agony rippling through his shuddering form. The hooded figure watched the man impassively as he rolled along the ground in pain before speaking softly.

"Do not forget your place the next time you presume to speak to me in such a manner." The figure gave a passing glance at the door before turning away. "Our business is concluded... try to at least put on a passible display in the coming days."

The figure walked towards the darkness before pausing and speaking again.

"Oh, and you may want to make yourself presentable, you're about to have guests."

Ayelia didn't have time to register the words as she felt hands take hold of her suddenly, one hand slapping itself around her mouth preventing her from making a sound. Adrenaline pumped through her as she prepared to trash free before a familiar voice pierced through her fear.

_**"False Light of the Trickster God!"**_

Vivian's hushed voice calmed her as she realized the paladin was the one holding her hostage, she felt a gentle tingling sensation run over her as the taller female shined with a soft golden glow that quickly enveloped the two of them, bathing the pair in a bright yellow hue.

She wanted to hiss in anger as the light show would no doubt give them away but Vivian's grip held firm even as the sound of footsteps suddenly caught her attention and the bobbing shadow of figures rounding the corner pushed her to struggle harder in an attempt to prepare herself for a fight.

Vivian held her tighter and shook her head and Ayelia was forced to watch as two bandits rushed around the corner, her ears twitched beneath her headband as she waited for the inevitable sounds of alarm and the subtle grind of weapons being drawn. As they were they would be mowed down in an instant.

So, she was greatly caught off guard when the two burly guards merely barreled past them, their pudgy forms mere inches away from their own as the passed nearly tripping over themselves as they pushed open the door to their leader's chambers.

_***BANG!***_

"Sir!" The two cried, huffing and panting as the looked upon the scowling form of the head rogue. "S-Sir we need you!"

"What the hell is so important that you felt the need to bust open my door." He growled turning away from his maps and plans to face the two haggard men standing in his doorway. "Believe me if this isn't worth my time you'll both be the first to go." He threatened glaring down at them with his steely gaze.

The pair froze but nodded frantically.

"I-Its Havel Sir!" One of them started stepping forward his head whipping to and fro in a frenzy of panic. "One of the new men sir, h-he..." The portly bandit trailed on as if unsure how to properly convey the message.

"Did that old man kill another one of the recruits?" The man pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "He knows that we need all the bodies we can get, fetch him for me so we can talk. Head of my guards or not or not he needs to follow orders."

"Havel's dead sir!" The second thug spoke, at last, interrupting his blubbering companion. "One of the new recruits sir, he's gone into a frenzy! We're bleeding men left and right!" He cried.

The silence that followed was almost deafening.

From their hidden position, Ayelia and Vivian shot each other concerned looks, had something gone wrong in their plan? Could the recruit be Naruto and if so why had he gone and blown his cover?

"What?!" The rogue blinked in shock before striding over like a furious storm his face set into a grim expression of rage and confusion, stopping just a hair's width from the two men he growled lowly. "Where?!"

"I-In tunnel seven sir!" Both squeaked out at once trying desperately to escape the wrathful gaze of their leader whose hand had fallen reflexively to his hip where his blade rested. His fingers coiling tightly around the shaft.

"Of all the things... come with me, _now_!" He didn't wait for a response, instead charging forward out into the tunnels. His two lackeys shooting each other concerned looks before sprinting after their commander trying frantically to avoid angering the man any further.

...

Vivian watched with narrowed eyes as they rounded the corner and disappeared, she waited until their hurried footsteps faded off into the distance before finally relaxing, allowing the small elf trapped within her embrace to wriggle free.

"So, do you want to explain the whole light show and why no one else seemed to catch that?" Ayelia asked dusting herself off as the pair hastily made their way into the room. "Also please don't give me heart attacks like that, I'd rather not die early if I can help it." She deadpanned.

Vivian offered a sheepish smile in response as she made her way over to her stolen gear. "I'm not familiar with the principles behind it, Brother Vahn would be better at explaining it, but the Light of the Trickster God is a blessing Paladins can call upon to cast minor illusions. Each of the Chosen Gods has a blessing and all Paladins are trained to at least be able to perform those blessings."

"That sounds more like spell casting?" Ayelia noted while searching the far corners of the room for anything useful, small pouches of gold that would be useful when they made their escape.

Vivian laughed softly to herself and nodded. "In truth that would be a fair way to think about it but the Order prefers to call them 'blessings' since they are backed by the will of the God associated with the. Between you and me... I think they just want to be a bit fancy in all honesty." She admitted sheepishly while securing her shield upon her forearm.

"Of course, humans can never just be simple about things." Ayelia sighed and rounded on her companion. Immediately, her eyes were drawn to the new pieces of gear and she had to say part of her really wanted to see the Paladin garbed in her complete attire.

At her hip, replacing the crude war axe that she'd pilfered off the deceased bandits from earlier, was now a finely crafted silver blade, its duel edges honed down to such a sharpness that she wouldn't have found it surprising if the blade could slice through stone. Upon the face of the blade were intricate etchings that almost looked like words though they were in no language she could recognize, the guard was rather plain for a such a unique weapon and the hilt rather simple but sturdy.

Overall an impressive weapon to say the least.

On her off-hand, wrapped securely around her arm, was a large rounded gold-encrusted shield. Similarly to the blade at her side the defensive piece had markings etched into the golden embroideries that made up the outer edges marking it as unique. On the face of the shield was the depiction of a large decorated crown with a single sword stabbed through its center that ran down the entire length of the shield.

She idly noted that her bow wasn't all the impressive in comparison... she knew what she was spending her gold on the first chance she got.

"Is that everything?" Vivian asked snapping the elf out of her thoughts. "We should head back, if Naruto is indeed in trouble he will need our help!" She said reminding them that there was no time to waste now that their half of the mission was complete.

Ayelia nodded and quickly grabbed the last few items she thought would come in handy before making her way out, the two rushing back out into the tunnels to get back to the center chambers.

"Are you sure you'll be able to handle those monsters?" Ayelia asked as the light of the center cavern came into sight in the distance, already they could hear the sounds of shouting and combat which only spurred them to run faster.

Vivian nodded and her kind expression melted back into one of complete focus, once kind brown eyes hardening with single minded determination.

"You have both done me a kindness..." A golden light began to bleed off of Vivians sprinting form setting the cavern alight in a brilliant shine that from a distance one might have mistaken for a star at first glance. "I will give my life if need be to repay that kindness and end this here!"

Ayelia watched in fascination as the etchings on the young paladin's gear began to light up in the same yellow glow that billowed from her body. It hurt to look directly at her!

If there was one thing she was completely sure of at this moment, it was that she did not envy whoever was waiting at the end of the tunnel right now.

_May the Gods have mercy on their souls..._

* * *

_**-With Naruto Earlier- **_

_Why could nothing just ever go to plan?_

Dodging under a wild swing from Havel he stuck back with a blow to the man shin sending him reeling back at the force, pressing his advantage he launched a series of blows into the older males stomach and chest refusing to let up until the mountain of a man crumbled to his knees in pain.

Onlookers could only watch in shock as Havel was forced to kneel before the comparatively smaller blond youth that lashed out with a devastating punch into the man's cheek, reminiscent of the sucker punch he himself had been hit with, sending Havel to the ground in a heavy heap.

Naruto sighed and shook his slightly aching fist, he had to give some credit to the man his hands felt like he'd been punching a stone wall and he had a mean hook to boot. He could already tell his cheek was swelling slightly and would no doubt be a bit tender for the rest of the day.

At least it was over.

_*Woosh!*_

"Why won't you just stay down?!" He yelled, having just barely avoiding having his face caved in as Havel staggered to his feet his hand wrapped tightly around his no unleashed flail, glaring defiantly at the youth backing away from him.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?! Huh, you fucking punk!" Havel roared pushing himself back up to his feet uncaring of the blood dribbling from his lip. "What?! You think old Havel is 'too old' to put up a proper fight, is that it?!"

"I didn't want to fight you at all!" He shouted back but his hand now hovered by his blade ready to draw it at a moment's notice if need be. "Just let it go!"

"Let it go?" Havel whispered the words like the idea was foreign to him. "You think I'll let so upstart maggot walk away after this? That I'll become a punching bag for the rest of these maggots?!" Havel clenched his free fist in fury and began swinging his flail. "No... I'll break you right now so they know that _I'm_ the one in charge here!"

Havel charged and with no choice Naruto drew his sword in one single fluid motion, he couldn't afford to waste time trying to tire the man out and he was locked into a confined space that favored Havel's shorter er range swings than his longer arcs.

So much for not drawing attention...

He waited for the mountain to fall upon him before sliding with ease out of the way of a downward smash, the spiked metal brushing past his face harmlessly as he took in a sharp breath and without wasting a moment spun on his heel building momentum.

There was a flash of steel and a moment of silence before the screaming began.

"MY ARM!" Havel roared in pain and shock as he stared numbly at the bleeding stump that was once his right arm, one the floor covered in crimson life fluid was his now missing limp. His trusty flail still clutched tightly in its grip as if it had yet to realize it was no longer attached to its master.

Naruto stared down impassively at the man, he would have felt pity if not for the man's overbearing cruelty. Havel was a victim of his own pride and insecurities and now he'd paid the price for both.

"Y-You bastard!" It seemed Havel's rage outweighed his shock and in spite of everything he lashed out with a desperate backhand, perhaps hoping that he could catch the blond by surprise and return the favor.

Naruto, however, was not some common off the street thug and as such he merely sidestepped the wide swing and lashed out with yet another swing, this time cutting a bloody path down Havel's chest but allowing him to keep his remaining arm.

Havel gasped and groaned in agony as he bled out, without medical attention he would no doubt die here and his wounds had already begun to fill with dirt and debris...

"What the hell is going on here?!"

The room was shaken by a new presence, a group of patrolling outer guards had caught wind of the scuffle and had made their way in to investigate. Here he stood, his blade still dripping with the soiled blood of his 'commanding officer' who had long since fallen unconscious from blood loss.

Naruto looked between the downed man and the guards before clicking his teeth.

"You know what, screw it."

He was tired of the pretenses anyway before anyone could react he'd leaped across the room and downed yet another guard with his sword in a flurry of slashes. If he was going to get caught anyway then he might as well get caught on his own terms.

"Get him!" One of the guards screamed snapping the rest out of their shock and prompting the once spectating new bloods to draw their weapons against him.

"Come at me!" He snarled and lashed out with a harsh kick to bandit nearest to him that sent him flying into his somewhat shaken comrades. He quickly parried a blow meant to take his head off and quickly disarmed the offending party before impaling another incoming attacker. Two more followed only to be dispatched within moments slumping to the floor unconscious sporting new battle scars.

The sound of metal grinding against metal and shouts of pain, anger, and defiance began to ring out through the many burrows as he fought his way into the open, by now nearly every bandit inside was catching onto the fact that there was an intruder amongst them and had come to join the fray. For every one he cut down it seemed two more would take their place in an endless rush to overwhelm him, he left dozens of bandits in his wake but the tide refused to recede.

He growled to himself as a lucky blow managed to catch his side forcing him to block an incoming strike with his arm, the number of bodies piling in on him seemed endless through the cracks of the wildly flailing bodies he could make out hoards of skeletons and undead marching forth, weapons gripped in hand and jaws spread wide in rattling screams as they joined in the mosh pit.

"_Ahhh!_" He hissed as he was knocked to his knees as hammering blow caught his leg, he tried desperately to keep fighting but the hits began to mount, punches and kicks raining down on his slowly breaking body. The jeering of the mob pounded in his ears and he fought for the smallest hint of stability that was this storm of chaos.

_Was he going to fall here?..._

He raised his head in time to see a snarling marauder poised to strike him down with a broadsword in hand, flanked on either side by glass-eyed undead who's sickly pale skin glowed with the dark magic he'd tried so desperately to halt.

_Caroline... I'm sorry..._

_..._

_**"SEARING LIGHT OF THE FIRST WAR GOD! EMBRACE THESE HEATHENS IN YOUR CRUCIBLE!"**_

Golden rays of light rained down from above like the birth of a new star, the beams consuming all that stood within like a raging wildfire, he watched numbly as those unfortunate enough to be caught within the glow burned in searing white flames. The once pristine white bones burned an ugly ashen black as the chattering hoards of skeletons were rendered once more into dust and scattered to the winds. The decaying skin of the fresher undead swiftly followed suit, the dark glow of magic beneath their rotting flesh escaping in vile mists of black energy that itself seemed to burn in the holy light. Even those among the living were not spared thought they fared slightly better, their skin once pale from days spent below ground was now red and blistered from the heat, the smell of burnt flesh and hair assaulted his nostrils causing him to gag slightly.

"Naruto!"

Ayelia's voice brought him slight comfort and he imagined the light show could only be the work of their resident paladin and so he allowed himself a moment to relax as the cavern bathed in the golden glow of heavenly fury. Soft hands helped pull him to his feet and he offered a grateful grunt of appreciation towards the small elf who'd come to his aid.

His gaze then fell upon his true savior, and he had to admit she made for quite a sight.

"If you will not find the light on your own then I shall drag you to it!" Vivian roared as she carved cleanly through the remaining hoards that had been fortunate enough to survive her initial assault. Her sword and shield shined brightly in hand as she bashed and slashed her way forwards, streaks of bright gold energy left in her wake that practically singed the very air around her. She was a beacon in the darkness and all that stood before her burned in the aftermath of her rage.

A war god indeed...

Pulling her sword out of a still sizzling corpse she turned back to them seemingly placated for the moment, her furious expression shifting into one of concern as she swiftly bounded over to assist her compatriots.

"Are you okay?" She asked checking him over for wounds, her skin still sparked with vibrant golden magic but it had faded somewhat, lingering just beneath her skin rather than leaking out from her pores as it had been just moments before.

"I'll be fine." He grunted and straightened himself up, thankfully he'd avoid any major injuries but he was definitely going to need to take it easy for the next few days. "And I see you found your gear." He noted taking a quick glance at her new accessories.

Vivian nodded proudly. "Indeed, it took more time than I would care to admit but there is nothing that can stand before us now!" She smiled brightly and he couldn't help but chuckle and nod along. He had to admit that he'd had his doubts but she'd more than proven herself in his eyes.

"Don't be so sure about that..."

The group found their celebration cut short by a fourth voice, one that was uncomfortably familiar to both Ayelia and Vivian causing them to freeze up slightly, they'd gotten too caught up in their victory!.

Sitting without a care on the scaffolding above them sat none other than the main man himself, the leader of this camp. Garbed in his signature black leather armor and twirling his knife in hand he glared down at the trio that had just done and undone months of work in just a few hours, behind him the seared bodies of his men laid unmoving by his side as though they'd shielded him from the shining assault.

"You three have caused me a lot of headaches you know that? Now, I'm not one to take things personally, can't in my line of work." He shrugged his shoulders in a way that belied the raw venom in his tone. "But this? This is going to sit with me for a bit... especially since I'll need to cut my losses and drop some dead weight."

He pulled out a small device from his pocket and waved it in the air in front of them. "So since you've given me something to remember you by..."

His finger glided gently over a button attached to the side of the device, his worn face split by a cruel grin as he did so.

"Let me give you a little something of my own to remember me."

_*Click...*_

_..._

_***BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!***_

The earth trembled beneath their feet and an almost unbearable heatwave swept through the tunnels washing over them, the sound of explosions, groaning wood, screaming from souls that had hidden from all the commotion, and collapsing dirt and rock filled the echoing chambers as support beams began to stain under some unseen pressure and nearby tunnels began to crumble under their own weight.

Their eyes widened as they realized his plan, he was going to bury them along with any evidence of their presence in this tomb.

"The names Lucian by the way, just thought you should know who to curse before you die and if you live well..." Another tremble rocked the steadily collapsing structure. "Let's just not think about that." He chuckled darkly and with a grunt and an impressive display of acrobatics scaled the reaming scaffolding in a single bound making his way towards the exit.

"Get back here you coward! What about your men, are you just going to leave them to die?!" Vivian shouted at the retreating rouge who ignored her and quickly made his escape his lanky form disappearing into the darkness, leaving all of them to their fate.

They grit their teeth as the ceiling began to bleed loose rock and debris rapidly, the ground beneath their feet growing more and more unstable with each passing moment reminding them that the clock was ticking.

"Come on, we have to move!" He growled, ignoring the pain in his body to push his companions along, the three of them doing their best to avoid the falling debris and make it up the weakened scaffolding to the exit. As they passed support beams groaned and creaked underfoot, their foundations no longer as solid as they once were each step the trio took taxed the foundations but they couldn't afford to take it slow.

Every second they wasted increased the odds of the exit tunnel collapsing as well.

"Our things!" Ayelia out as they began to pass the upper chamber that had housed most of their gear, would they be able to stop in time?!

"Don't! I hid them outside before coming down just keep moving!" He yelled back, they needed to keep going the rumbling was growing worse by the second. Vivian held her shield overhead using it to offer some measure of protection against the falling stones making the journey much easier, even if the sharp clang of rock striking metal unnerved them.

Wasting no more time the trio broke into a final sprint into the main exit tunnel, just in time too as the soil behind them came loose and buried the entranceway into the caverns, however, there was no time to rest as the rest of the tunnel began to follow suit and the three raced forward with heavy breaths to outrun the earth closing in around them.

"I see the exit!" Ayelia yelled from the front, soft rays of light illuminating the encroaching darkness, beckoning them forward to safety!

With a final push, the three practically threw themselves out of the maw of the cave, their bodies rolling into the grass as the entranceway closed up behind them sealing shut is secrets to never be uncovered again...

...

"We are never going underground again." He sighed looking up at the moon above with tired eyes. Everything hurt, they were exhausted, and right now he wanted nothing more than a clean bath and a long rest.

"I second that decision." Ayelia huffed from the dirt uncaring of grass brushing against her face in favor of taking in the fresh air and allowing the adrenalin to leave her system. "No more caves, tunnels, or crypts." She would gladly deal with haunted forests ten times over before she'd even consider going back down there.

"I do not know if my input counts but I would also like to avoid such places going forward." Vivian groaned weakly from her own position a few inches away as she tried vainly to catch her breath and move into a sitting position.

"We'll keep it in mind." He answered and the trio fell silent, the only sounds being that of labored breathing and the creatures of the night prowling in the distance leaving them to their thoughts.

In a way, they'd accomplished their mission but it seemed that doing so only caused left them with more unanswered questions. Who really was Lucian and who was he working for? What plans did they have for the region and why? They had no answers but in their hearts, they knew that this wasn't over, they couldn't just pretend that they'd saved the day...

Not when those two were still out there.

"I think we should call it a day, yeah?" He asked slowly sitting up amid the protesting screams of his tired overworked body.

"Yes please.../Thank the Gods..."

For now though, they would take what they could get and prepare for whatever came next.

* * *

**AN. Chapter Complete**

**Okay so this came out a little later than I had predicted but in my defense, I had forgotten The Outer Worlds was coming out and I am a sucker for a good RPG. Anyway, I already talked about why this took so long in the update but if you missed it then long story short, I have limited free time because of school and work so chapters take longer since I bounce between this story and ABP. I have kinda become known to write longer chapters so this is just the consequence of that sadly. **

**So anyway let's talk about story related stuff!**

**Starting off with the chapter in general:**

**There was a lot going on here given that I had to write two different perspectives while still making everything mostly coherent which is something I am not used to but really wanted to start working on given that inevitably I am going to have to write the characters acting independently from one another so getting that practice now will hopefully make it easier going forward. **

**As far as story stuff went well take your pick, we got to see more of the mysterious figure who is none too happy about the way things are going but also seems to know more than they let on about our team's movements. We've met the rogue leader Lucian who is now out and about and more than a bit miffed at our heroes, and we still have that hanging thread of the mystery of Mistmire to see going forward. Coupled with older plot points I'd say we have quite a few new stories building that I hope you are looking forward to!**

**Now onto stuff regarding this little story bit.**

**I want to first address Vivian, both her character, abilities, and place in the story going forward:**

**To start, I am still maintaining my stance that Vivian WON'T be joining the main party. I know a few people did want to see her stay but she just isn't going to be in that role, however, I never said that she was going to disappear forever and in fact, I have plans for her to be a recurring ally to the group throughout the fic. I believe I have mentioned this before but I have said some characters could join the party as temporary companions for quests or smaller stories and she falls into the category. In regards to her being a romance option, I still don't know if that'll happen since I'm not sure how people feel about her, if a lot of people want to see something going on between her and Naruto then you can let me know and maybe in the future we can do something.**

**In regards to her personality, I wanted to go for a character that outwardly and in combat seemed somewhat unapproachable and even rather scary but also very clearly has a softer side and can be a bit dopey at times. She isn't meant to be a comic relief by any means but she isn't going to be a hardass either falling more as a righteous and very earnest character who gets a bit too into her job as a paladin sometimes.**

**I also want to touch on her abilities, we saw two 'Blessing' abilities this chapter that I want to explain because I imagine some people are curious about how they work. Firstly, "False Light of the Trickster God" (not a reference to Loki lol), was used to shield Ayelia and Vivian from view which manifested as invisibility which many people probably would not associate with a paladin. I agree, however, with the way these abilities work I wanted them to be very much representative of their associated 'God' in this case the 'false' light that deceives those who look upon it.**

**I plan to explain this system in-depth and how these abilities can shift and manifest either through Vivian revealing more of her abilities or when we actually visit her Order in future but I do have a system thought out that will explain them more. "Light of the First War God" is pretty self-explanatory being an offensive ability that again Vivian or the Order will explain.**

**Moving on:**

**Naruto and Ayelia each served their roles this chapter, we've spent a lot of time with them so I didn't feel the need to dig down too deep into their personalities or opinions much and instead focused on the events going on but we will see them more relaxed and personable soon enough! Naruto will also be getting a power-up soon so you can look forward to that sometime in the future!**

**The next chapter (possibly chapters) will lean more towards the slice of lifestyle end of the fic since I like to break up heavy action moments with downtime. We may also perhaps finally see our little elf make her move (maybe a new lemon) or perhaps get into some hijinks with our paladin knight depending on how people respond to her.**

**I have so much more I could talk about but I'll leave it here. I hope you enjoyed and please let me know if you are enjoying the story! Take care and I'll see you all in the next update!**


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